dolce far niente

"sweet to the senses," especially of taste, also "melodious, harmonious," late 14c., doucet, from Old French doucet, diminutive of doux "sweet," earlier dulz, from Latin dulcis, from Proto-Italic *dulkwi-, from PIE *dlk-wi-, suffixed form of root *dlk-u- "sweet," which probably is also the source of Greek glykys "sweet" (compare gluco-).

1640s, "made by or resulting from art, artificial," from Latin facticius/factitius "artificial," from factus "elaborate, artistic," past-participle adjective from facere "to make, do; perform; bring about; endure, suffer; behave; suit, be of service" (source of French faire, Spanish hacer), from PIE root *dhe- "to put, to set." Related: Factitiously; factitiousness.

1855; earlier as a noun (1610s); from French fainéant (16c.) "do-nothing," from fait, third person singular of faire "to do" (from Latin facere "to make, do," from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put") + néant "nothing" (compare dolce far niente). According to OED this is a French folk-etymology alteration of Old French faignant (14c.), present participle of faindre "to feign" (see feign). Applied in French to the late Merovingian kings, puppets in the hands of the palace mayors. Related: Faineance "the habit of doing nothing."