livid

American  

[liv-id] / ˈlɪv ɪd /

adjective

1. having a discolored, bluish appearance caused by a bruise, congestion of blood vessels, strangulation, etc., as the face, flesh, hands, or nails.

2. dull blue; dark, grayish-blue.

3. enraged; furiously angry.

   Willful stupidity makes me absolutely livid.

4. feeling or appearing strangulated because of strong emotion.

5. reddish or flushed.

6. deathly pale; pallid; ashen.

   Fear turned his cheeks livid for a moment.

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livid British  

/ ˈlɪvɪd /

adjective

1. (of the skin) discoloured, as from a bruise or contusion

2. of a greyish tinge or colour

   livid pink

3. informal angry or furious

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Other Word Forms

• lividity noun
• lividly adverb
• lividness noun

Etymology

Origin of livid

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin līvidus “black and blue,” equivalent to līv(ēre) “to be livid” (akin to Welsh lliw “color”) + -idus adjective suffix; -id ⁴

Explanation

If you're livid, you're furious, in a black cloud of anger. The Latin root this word comes from means "bluish-gray" or "slate-colored," and you can also use livid to describe the color, such as a livid bruise or a livid sea. Livid, even when it means "bluish-gray," has the sense of something not quite right. If the sky is livid, there's something ominous about it. Similarly, if your skin is livid, there's something wrong — you're either covered with bruises or you're at death's door, anemic and ashen. But livid is used most often to describe fury. What if you waited in line 15 hours and the person in front of you got the last seat for the hottest concert of the summer? You'd be livid!

Example Sentences

James Rafferty doesn’t own a Samsung smart fridge but is still livid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Though they later held meetings to smooth over their differences, the network is again livid following the reauthorization of German agrochemical giant Bayer's dicamba herbicide for sprayed use on genetically modified soybean and cotton.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

"I didn't start it," retorted a livid Rachel.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

“I was livid that they fired someone that was passionate, who had experience in this space, and they brought in somebody from the inside,” Menjivar said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2025

The scars on Cook's face are livid against her skin.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• enraged
• furious
• incensed
• indignant
• mad
• outraged