Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Leisure
(772 words)

1. Concept

The English “leisure” derives from the Old French leisir (cf. Modern French loisir), meaning “freedom [to do something].” Latin otium (cf. Italian ozio, Spanish ocio) defined this freedom in contrast to business (negotium), while German derived it from a divine influence, the German Muße sharing the derivation of museum from the nine Muses who in Greco-Roman antiquity were worshipped as goddesses of song, knowledge, and memory [2] (Ancient religions; Mythology). Although these dei…

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Schirrmeister, Albert, “Leisure”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 24 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_024442>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20190801



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