indiferent

Indiferent is an adjective used in several Romance languages to convey a lack of interest, concern, or preference. In English, the closest cognate is indifferent. In everyday usage, it can describe a person who shows little or no interest in a matter, or a situation deemed not important, neutral, or without bias. Phrases such as “indifferent to the outcome” express a nonchalant or unconcerned stance rather than hostility.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin indifferentem, from in- “not” + differentem “differing,” signaling non-differentiation rather than a positive or negative judgment. Cognates include indifférent (French), indiferente (Spanish), indiferente (Portuguese), indifferente (Italian), and indiferent (Romanian).

Usage notes: In a negative sense, indifferent can imply apathy or lack of care, but it can also reflect deliberate impartiality. In philosophy, the term “indifferents” refers to external things not intrinsically good or bad, with virtue or vice depending on the agent’s choices. In contemporary English, more precise terms include uninterested, apathetic, neutral, or nonchalant, depending on nuance.

See also: indifference; stoicism; neutrality; apathy.