Word of the Day

: September 21, 2009

Laodicean

adjective lay-ah-duh-SEE-un

What It Means

: lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics

Laodicean in Context

Evan lamented the Laodicean attitude of his fellow citizens, as evidenced by the low voter turnout on Election Day.

Did You Know?

English speakers owe the word "Laodicean" to Chapter 3, verses 15 and 16 of the Book of Revelation, in which the church of Laodicea is admonished for being "neither cold nor hot, . . . neither one nor the other, but just lukewarm" in its devotion. By 1633, the name of that tepid biblical church had become a general term for any half-hearted or irresolute follower of a religious faith. Since then, the word’s use has broadened to cover flimsy political devotion as well. For example, in comparing U.S. presidents, journalist Samuel Hopkins Adams compared "the fiery and aggressive [Theodore] Roosevelt" to "the timorous Laodicean [Warren] Harding."