What is the Latin word for while away?

The usual Latin words for “while away” are tempus, hōra, sermō; also narrō, trīstis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“while away” in Latin

tempusa time (a portion or period of time); time; the kairos, right time, due season, due time, proper time, appointed time, o hōrahour; time; o'clock sermōa conversation, discussion; a rumor, diction, speech, talk, discourse; a language, manner of speaking narrōto tell, say, relate; to describe, report, recount; to state the facts of a case trīstissad, unhappy, melancholy, morose; sorrowful, mournful; disagreeable, harsh, bitter (of taste)

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

while away

tempus, horas, or tempora tarde labentia fallere aliqua re (e.g., sermonibus, narrando; Vid: Ov., Metamorphoses, 8, 652; Tristia, 3, 2, 12: ☞ otium fallere would be quite wrong, since otium means only absence of serious business). To while away the time, ad tempus fallendum, ad horas fallendas.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for while away?: The usual Latin words for “while away” are tempus, hōra, sermō; also narrō, trīstis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.