Finesentence

Laborious Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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laborious

la-bo-ri-ous

🇺🇸 /ɫəˈbɔɹiəs/ · 🇬🇧 /lɐbˈɔːɹɪəs/

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

effort required

The word 'laborious' describes something that requires a lot of effort, time, and hard work to accomplish. It often refers to tasks or processes that are physically or mentally demanding. Laborious activities can be tedious and require persistence to complete. This term can also imply a sense of difficulty owing to the intricate details or the prolonged duration of the task.

Synonyms

arduous, difficult, onerous, strenuous, toilsome.

Examples of usage

  • The laborious process of writing a dissertation took several months.
  • Gardening can be a laborious activity, especially for large yards.
  • She found the laborious task of sorting files to be quite tedious.

Translations

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Quick facts about “laborious”

Laborious is a 4-syllable adjective (la-bo-ri-ous). It is pronounced /ɫəˈbɔɹiəs/ in American English and /lɐbˈɔːɹɪəs/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 1 meaning, 5 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #11,041 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'laborious'

The term 'laborious' originates from the Latin word 'laboriosus', which means 'full of labor or work'. This word is derived from 'labor', meaning 'work' or 'toilsome activity'. The adoption of 'laborious' into the English language occurred in the early 17th century, reflecting the growing recognition of effort-intensive tasks in various fields such as agriculture, manufacturing, and the emerging industrial landscape. Over time, 'laborious' has come to be associated not only with physical work but also with demanding intellectual tasks, encapsulating the broad spectrum of human endeavor that requires significant effort and dedication. Its usage has remained prevalent in literature, academia, and everyday conversation, often emphasizing the challenges faced in various undertakings.

Rhymes

Laborious rhymes with inglorious, glorious, notorious, victorious and meritorious.

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Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,041, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.