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leisure

n. · adj.
US //ˈɫɛʒɝ// UK //lˈɛʒɐ// leisure
  1. 1 free time (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    time when you do not have to work or study and can relax.

    time available for ease and relaxation after the cessation of work or duties.

    Example

    In her leisure time, she enjoys gardening and reading historical novels.

    Example

    The shift toward a shorter working week has significantly increased the amount of leisure available to the average employee.
  2. 2 related to relaxation (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    used to describe things or places designed for fun and relaxation.

    relating to or intended for use during free time; often used as an attributive noun.

    Example

    The city is building a new leisure centre with a pool and a gym.

    Example

    The local council invested heavily in leisure facilities to improve the physical well-being of the suburban population.
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  1. 3 at a slow pace (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    doing something slowly and without any hurry.

    the state of acting without haste; typically found in the idiomatic phrase 'at one's leisure'.

    Example

    Please look through the documents at your leisure and let me know what you think.

    Example

    The gallery allows visitors to wander at their leisure, providing a meditative space away from the crowded city streets.

    Usage

    Commonly follows the preposition 'at'.
Origin

From Middle English leyser, from Anglo-Norman leisir, variant of Old French loisir (“to enjoy oneself”) (Modern French loisir survives as a noun), substantive use of a verb, from Latin licēre (“be permitted”). Displaced native Old English ǣmetta.

Word family

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