Perfunctory

 WORD OF THE DAY

perfunctory / adjective / per-FUNK-tuh-ree

Definition
1a: characterized by routine or superficiality
1b: mechanical
2: lacking in interest or enthusiasm

Examples
"In those days we offered a pick-up and delivery service for bike repairs. Usually the transaction was perfunctory, but not with Lou. He used to open the door to his house and invite us to come inside for a coffee or soda."
— Bill Durham, The Islander News (Key Biscayne, Florida), 21 Apr. 2022

The eight-time Pro Bowl player sometimes goes several weeks without agreeing to do even the most perfunctory postgame interviews.
— Nunyo Demasio, Sports Illustrated, 8 Jan. 2007

Did You Know?
Perfunctory is a word whose origins are found entirely in Latin. It first appeared in English in the late 16th century and is derived from the Late Latin perfunctorius, meaning "done in a careless or superficial manner."
Perfunctorius was also borrowed for the synonymous, and now archaic, English adjective perfunctorious at around the same time.
Perfunctorius comes from the earlier Latin perfunctus, a past participle of perfungi, meaning "to accomplish" or "to get through with."
That verb is formed by combining the prefix per-, meaning "through," with the verb fungi, meaning "to perform."
Fungi can be found in the roots of such words as function, defunct, and fungible.