solid

[ sol-id ]
See synonyms for: solidsolidssolidlysolidness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,sol·id·er, sol·id·est.
  1. having three dimensions (length, breadth, and thickness), as a geometrical body or figure.

  2. of or relating to bodies or figures of three dimensions.

  1. having the interior completely filled up, free from cavities, or not hollow: a solid piece of chocolate.

  2. without openings or breaks: a solid wall.

  3. firm, hard, or compact in substance: solid ground.

  4. having relative firmness, coherence of particles, or persistence of form, as matter that is not liquid or gaseous: solid particles suspended in a liquid.

  5. pertaining to such matter: Water in a solid state is ice.

  6. dense, thick, or heavy in nature or appearance: solid masses of cloud.

  7. not flimsy, slight, or light, as buildings, furniture, fabrics, or food; substantial.

  8. of a substantial character; not superficial, trifling, or frivolous: a solid work of scientific scholarship.

  9. without separation or division; continuous: a solid row of buildings.

  10. whole or entire: one solid hour.

  11. forming the whole; consisting entirely of one substance or material: solid gold.

  12. uniform in tone or shades, as a color: a solid blue dress.

  13. real or genuine: solid comfort.

  14. sound or reliable, as reasons or arguments: solid facts.

  15. sober-minded; fully reliable or sensible: a solid citizen.

  16. financially sound or strong: Our company is solid.

  17. cubic: A solid foot contains 1,728 solid inches.

  18. written without a hyphen, as a compound word.

  19. having the lines not separated by leads, or having few open spaces, as type or printing.

  20. thorough, vigorous, great, big, etc. (with emphatic force, often after good): a good solid blow.

  21. firmly united or consolidated: a solid combination.

  22. united or unanimous in opinion, policy, etc.

  23. on a friendly, favorable, or advantageous footing (often preceded by in): He was in solid with her parents.

  24. Slang. excellent, especially musically.

noun
  1. a body or object having three dimensions (length, breadth, and thickness).

  2. a solid substance or body; a substance exhibiting rigidity.

Idioms about solid

  1. do (someone) a solid, Informal. to help out, be supportive, or do a favor for: Do him a solid and second his nomination.

Origin of solid

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English solide, from Old French solide, from Latin solidus “dense, compact”

synonym study For solid

5. See firm1.

Other words for solid

Opposites for solid

Other words from solid

  • sol·id·ly, adverb
  • sol·id·ness, noun
  • half-solid, adjective
  • non·sol·id, adjective, noun
  • non·sol·id·ly, adverb
  • sub·sol·id, noun
  • trans·sol·id, adjective
  • un·sol·id, adjective
  • un·sol·id·ly, adverb
  • un·sol·id·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with solid

Words Nearby solid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use solid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for solid

solid

/ (ˈsɒlɪd) /


adjective
  1. of, concerned with, or being a substance in a physical state in which it resists changes in size and shape: Compare liquid (def. 1), gas (def. 1)

  2. consisting of matter all through

  1. of the same substance all through: solid rock

  2. sound; proved or provable: solid facts

  3. reliable or sensible; upstanding: a solid citizen

  4. firm, strong, compact, or substantial: a solid table; solid ground

  5. (of a meal or food) substantial

  6. (often postpositive) without interruption or respite; continuous: solid bombardment

  7. financially sound or solvent: a solid institution

  8. strongly linked or consolidated: a solid relationship

  9. geometry having or relating to three dimensions: a solid figure; solid geometry

  10. (of a word composed of two or more other words or elements) written or printed as a single word without a hyphen

  11. printing with no space or leads between lines of type

  12. solid for unanimously in favour of

  13. (of a writer, work, performance, etc) adequate; sensible

  14. of or having a single uniform colour or tone

  15. NZ informal excessive; unreasonably strict

noun
  1. geometry

    • a closed surface in three-dimensional space

    • such a surface together with the volume enclosed by it

  2. a solid substance, such as wood, iron, or diamond

  1. (plural) solid food, as opposed to liquid

Origin of solid

1
C14: from Old French solide, from Latin solidus firm; related to Latin sollus whole

Derived forms of solid

  • solidity (səˈlɪdɪtɪ), noun
  • solidly, adverb
  • solidness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for solid

solid

[ sŏlĭd ]


  1. Physics One of four main states of matter, in which the molecules vibrate about fixed positions and cannot migrate to other positions in the substance. Unlike a gas or liquid, a solid has a fixed shape, and unlike a gas, a solid has a fixed volume. In most solids (with exceptions such as glass), the molecules are arranged in crystal lattices of various sizes.

  2. Mathematics A geometric figure that has three dimensions.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for solid

solid

A phase of matter characterized by the tight locking of atoms into rigid structures that resist deforming by outside forces.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.