'atsel (עצל) means lazy in Hebrew.
It is an adjective, and the Hebrew dictionary's own definitions are below.
lazy
The stress falls on the part in bold.
The dictionary gives one meaning for 'atsel.
The definitions are in Hebrew, as the dictionary writes them.
- 1שנמנע מכל עבודה ומעדיף לנוח במקום זאת.
עַד־מָתַי עָצֵל תִּשְׁכָּב; מָתַי תָּקוּם מִשְּׁנָתֶךָ?
The verses are quoted from the Hebrew Bible, with the word in bold.
The word 'atsel is an adjective.
- Written with vowel points
- עָצֵל
- Written without vowel points
- עצל
- Said
- 'atsel
- Root
- ע־צ־ל
- Pattern
- קָטֵל
- Plural
- עֲצֵלִים
- Feminine form
- עֲצֵלָה
- Inflections
- נ' עֲצֵלָה, ר' עֲצֵלִים, נ"ר עֲצֵלוֹת
- Gematria
- 190
This is how 'atsel is said in other languages.
- English
- lazy
These words mean nearly the same as 'atsel.
A word with a dashed border has no page of its own in this dictionary yet.
These words mean the opposite of 'atsel.
- זריז
- חרוץ
- פעילactivist
A word with a dashed border has no page of its own in this dictionary yet.
These words rhyme with 'atsel.
The word 'atsel is part of these phrases and sayings.
- עין עצלה
- לך אל נמלה עצל ראה דרכיה וחכם
A word with a dashed border has no page of its own in this dictionary yet.
The word 'atsel comes from the root ע־צ־ל, like these words.
These words come before and after 'atsel in the dictionary.
These are the questions people ask about the word 'atsel.
What does 'atsel (עצל) mean in Hebrew?
'atsel (עצל) means lazy. It is said 'atsel, with the stress on tsel.
What is a synonym for 'atsel (עצל)?
Words that mean nearly the same as 'atsel (עצל) are עצלן, בטלן, and נחשל.
What is the opposite of 'atsel (עצל)?
Words that mean the opposite of 'atsel (עצל) are זריז, חרוץ, and פעיל.
What rhymes with 'atsel (עצל)?
Words that rhyme with 'atsel (עצל) include נוזל, ישראל, של, אל, נמל, and ברזל.
The definitions, pronunciation, synonyms and translations on this page are adapted from the entry עצל of the Hebrew Wiktionary, read on 1 November 2026, and are shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.