buoyant

[ boi-uhnt, boo-yuhnt ]
/ ˈbɔɪ ənt, ˈbu yənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR buoyant ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

tending to float in a fluid.
capable of keeping a body afloat, as a liquid.
not easily depressed; cheerful.
cheering or invigorating.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of buoyant

First recorded in 1570–80; buoy + -ant

OTHER WORDS FROM buoyant

Words nearby buoyant

buoy, buoyage, buoyancy, buoyancy bags, buoyancy compensator, buoyant, buoy boat, BUPA, buphthalmia, bupivacaine, bupivacaine hydrochloride
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to buoyant

resilient, bouncy, expansive, peppy, sunny, breezy, cheerful, bright, jovial, lively, joyful, jaunty, lighthearted, afloat, airy, floating, weightless, floatable, supernatant, unsinkable

Example sentences from the Web for buoyant

British Dictionary definitions for buoyant

buoyant
/ (ˈbɔɪənt) /

adjective

able to float in or rise to the surface of a liquid
(of a liquid or gas) able to keep a body afloat or cause it to rise
cheerful or resilient

Word Origin for buoyant

C16: probably from Spanish boyante, from boyar to float, from boya buoy, ultimately of Germanic origin
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