procrastination

/pɹəʊˌkɹæs.tɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

procrastination means the act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially habitually or intentionally. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 76 out of 100.

procrastination is pronounced /pɹəʊˌkɹæs.tɪˈneɪ.ʃən/.

Why “procrastination” is a great word

Procrastination is the intentional and habitual deferral of tasks or decisions to a later time. From Middle French *procrastination*, from Latin *prōcrāstinātiō*, from *prōcrāstinō* ("to procrastinate"), from *prō-* ("forward") + *crāstinus* ("of tomorrow"), from *crās* ("tomorrow"). First recorded in English in the 1540s. Unlike *precrastination*, which rushes tasks to clear the mental slate, or *punctuality*, which honors the appointed hour, procrastination is the art of the negotiated reprieve. It is the silent hour spent sharpening pencils instead of writing, the immaculate order of a suddenly-cleaned desk while the crucial report remains blank, the deep dive into unrelated research as a deadline looms—a quiet rebellion against time's linear march, paid for in the compound interest of dread.

Etymology

From Middle French procrastination, from Latin prōcrāstinātiō, from prōcrāstinō (“procrastinate”), from prō + crāstinus (“of tomorrow”), from crās (“tomorrow”).

noun

The act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially habitually or intentionally.“Procrastination is the thief of time; year after year it steals until all are fled.”