limpid
Americanadjective
-
clear, transparent, or pellucid, as water, crystal, or air.
We could see to the very bottom of the limpid pond.
-
free from obscurity; lucid; clear.
a limpid style; limpid prose.
-
completely calm; without distress or worry.
a limpid, emotionless existence.
adjective
-
clear or transparent
-
(esp of writings, style, etc) free from obscurity
-
calm; peaceful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of limpid
First recorded in 1605–15, limpid is from the Latin word limpidus clear. See lymph, -id 4
Explanation
The adjective limpid describes something (often liquid) that is clear, serene and bright. Nature calendars often feature glamour shots of a limpid stream or a limpid lake. The adjective limpid may also describe language that is easily understandable. Your teacher might ask you to give an answer in a single limpid sentence. But he probably won't because limpid is a word that's fallen out of use. Maybe because it sounds too much like limp. Or maybe because it's associated with the king of all clichés: "Her eyes were like limpid pools."
Vocabulary lists containing limpid
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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!
Quiz yourself on these words spoken by the man at the center of the "Laurel" / "Yanny" craze!
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.
The limpid four-movement ballet is both courtly and casual, with its intricately evolving choreographic patterns gently beguiling, as if seen in a crystalline hall of mirrors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Like “Secret Things,” the work is lighted with painterly beauty by Clifton Taylor, and offers a cascade of dance imagery, from limpid Cunningham-esque balances to Nijinsky’s “L’Après-midi d’un Faune.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2023
His closing “Ave verum corpus” — a limpid and lucid transcription for solo piano by Franz Liszt — was among the finest single performances I’ve heard all year.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 21, 2022
“Go for Qatar, go for Qatar!” he pleaded as he unleashed his bird into the limpid desert air.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 19, 2022
She crouched beside the parapet and trailed her hot hand in the limpid water, letting the tinkle and splash of the fountain make her mind a harmless blank.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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.
