florid
Americanadjective
-
reddish; ruddy; rosy.
a florid complexion.
- Antonyms:
- pale
-
flowery; excessively ornate; showy.
florid writing.
- Synonyms:
- gaudy, flash, rococo, grandiloquent, flamboyant
- Antonyms:
- unaffected, simple, plain
-
Obsolete. abounding in or consisting of flowers.
adjective
-
having a red or flushed complexion
-
excessively ornate; flowery
florid architecture
-
an archaic word for flowery
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of florid
1635–45; < Latin flōridus, equivalent to flōr ( ēre ) to bloom ( see florescence) + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Something that's elaborate and full of extra flourishes is florid, whether it's your relatives' ornate decorating style or the way they talk, using a lot of unnecessarily long, complicated words. Florid is an adjective that entered English in the 17th century, via the French floride, from the Latin flōridus, "blooming." You can probably guess how Florida and flourish are related! Something overly decorated, such as a fussy living room, is florid in the flowery sense, while pale-skinned people with rosy cheeks are florid because they appear to be flourishing with good health.
Vocabulary lists containing florid
100 Top "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
To Kill a Mockingbird
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Florid but warmhearted — much like the man at its center — “The Happy Prince” is a haunting portrait of the aftermath of betrayal; of how the master of comedy became a tragedy.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 23, 2018
Florid, emotionally overwrought and saddled with a ridiculous plot, it’s proof that not every work by a great artist is great art.
From New York Times • Oct. 22, 2017
Characters in “Fount of Florid Reluctance” are pulled from numerous sources: The boy selling kerchiefs is from Bangladesh; the woman throwing flowers is Eastern European.
From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2016
He faced opposition in Thursday’s nomination race from House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah and Rep. Daniel Webster of Florid, but he was widely expected to defeat both rivals.
From MSNBC • Oct. 8, 2015
The Abbey church of Bath is of that class of architecture commonly denominated the Florid Gothic.
From Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11 Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set. by Dugdale, Thomas Cantrell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
