Word of the day: Pococurante

Today’s word is “pococurante.” It is a rare English word that many people almost never hear in daily life. The word “pococurante” describes a person who does not care much about things. It means someone who is indifferent, apathetic, or simply uncaring. It can be used as an adjective or a noun. As an adjective, it describes an attitude.

As a noun, it refers to a person who behaves this way. Example as an adjective: A person may have a “pococurante attitude,” which means they do not show interest or concern about something, as stated by Alphadictionary. Example as a noun: Someone can be called a “pococurante” if they act careless or uninterested in important matters.

Meaning of Pococurante word

This word is rarely spoken but still exists in English dictionaries and literature. Even though it is uncommon, it has been used enough to create related words. There are other words in the same family. These include “pococurantish,” “pococurantism,” and “pococuranteism.” “Pococurantish” works like a synonym. It also describes a person who does not care much about things, as stated by Alphadictionary.


“Pococurantism” and “pococuranteism” are nouns. They describe the behavior or idea of being indifferent or careless. The word was created by the famous writer Voltaire. He invented it for a character in his play “Candide,” published in 1759. In the play, Voltaire used the word as the name of a senator. The character was calm, nonchalant, and did not seem to care much about things happening around him.

Origin of the word Pococurante

The word comes from Italian roots. It combines “poco,” meaning “little,” and “curante,” meaning “caring.” So the literal meaning of the word is “little caring.” This explains why it describes someone who shows very little interest or concern. The Italian word “poco” itself comes from Latin. It is linked to the Latin word “paucus,” which means “small.” The Latin root also influenced several modern languages. Words related to it appear in French (“peu”), Portuguese (“pouco”), and Spanish (“poco”).

English also borrowed ideas from this root. For example, the English word “paucity,” which means a small amount, comes from the same Latin base. The deeper origin of this root comes from Proto-Indo-European language. The root “pou- / peu-” meant “small.” Several other words across languages connect to this ancient root. Examples include Latin “pauper,” meaning poor, and Greek “pais,” meaning child or boy.

How Pococurante is used today

Even words in Armenian and Welsh trace back to this root. Armenian “p’ok’r” means small and Welsh “wyr” means grandchild. Today, “pococurante” is mainly used in writing rather than everyday speech. It is often seen in literature, academic writing, or word discussions.

An example from literature describes a professor as a “pococurante chair of the English Department.” This suggests the person seemed relaxed, indifferent, or not very concerned about things, as stated by Wordsmith. In simple terms, a pococurante person is someone who just does not care much. They stay calm, distant, or uninterested even when others feel strongly about something.

FAQs

Q1. What does the word “pococurante” mean?

“Pococurante” means a person who does not care much about things and shows little interest or concern.

Q2. Who created the word “pococurante”?

The word was created by the French writer Voltaire for a character in his 1759 work Candide.