mild

[mahyld]

adjective, mild·er, mild·est.

amiably gentle or temperate in feeling or behavior toward others.
characterized by or showing such gentleness, as manners or speech: a mild voice.
not cold, severe, or extreme, as air or weather: mild breezes.

not sharp, pungent, or strong: a mild flavor.
not acute or serious, as disease: a mild case of flu.
gentle or moderate in force or effect: mild penalties.
soft; pleasant: mild sunshine.
moderate in intensity, degree, or character: mild regret.
British Dialect. comparatively soft and easily worked, as soil, wood, or stone.
Obsolete. kind or gracious.

noun

British. beer that has a blander taste than bitter.

Origin of mild

before 900; Middle English, Old English milde; cognate with German mild; akin to Greek malthakós soft

Related formsmild·ly, adverbmild·ness, nouno·ver·mild, adjectivesem·i·mild, adjectivesem·i·mild·ness, noun

Synonyms for mild

1. soft, pleasant. See gentle. 3. temperate, moderate, clement. 4. bland.

Antonyms for mild

1. forceful. 3. severe. 6. harsh.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for milder

tepid, delicate, peaceful, sunny, balmy, breezy, benign, warm, weak, calm, smooth, bland, mellow, moderate, soft, cool, temperate, subdued, tame, gentle

Examples from the Web for milder

Contemporary Examples of milder

Ironically the milder temperatures of approx 32f meant wet conditions for skiing described as ‘miserable’.
VIDEO Prince Harry Arrives in Antartica But Conditions May Yet Hamper Teams
Tom Sykes
November 25, 2013
This kind of whining was at the milder end of the loony spectrum.
The Right-Wing Backlash Against John Roberts
Robert Shrum
July 3, 2012
Cameron said he did not know that Coulson had received only a milder vetting until six months before News of the World closed.
How Close Is Prime Minister David Cameron to Former Murdoch Deputy Rebekah Brooks?
Mike Giglio
March 14, 2012

Historical Examples of milder

Nor did the service of praise which preceded the election induce a milder spirit.
Quaint Courtships
Various
I am not well, and I am quite sure that I need several years of a milder climate.
Hetty's Strange History
Anonymous
The birds had disappeared, seeking a milder climate in the south.
The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras
Jules Verne
Yet, my friends, I have given you only the milder phase of this evil.
The Wedding Ring
T. De Witt Talmage
Parasynanche is a synonymous term, but refers to a milder synanche.
Old-Time Makers of Medicine
James J. Walsh

British Dictionary definitions for milder

mild

adjective

(of a taste, sensation, etc) not powerful or strong; blanda mild curry
gentle or temperate in character, climate, behaviour, etc
not extreme; moderatea mild rebuke
feeble; unassertive

noun

British draught beer, of darker colour than bitter and flavoured with fewer hops

Derived Formsmildly, adverbmildness, noun

Word Origin for mild

Old English milde; compare Old Saxon mildi, Old Norse mildr

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

Word Origin and History for milder

mild

adj.

Old English milde "gentle, merciful," from Proto-Germanic *milthjaz- (cf. Old Norse mildr, Old Saxon mildi, Old Frisian milde, Middle Dutch milde, Dutch mild, Old High German milti, German milde "mild," Gothic mildiþa "kindness"), from PIE *meldh-, from root *mel- "soft," with derivatives referring to soft or softened materials (cf. Greek malthon "weakling," myle "mill;" Latin molere "to grind;" Old Irish meldach "tender;" Sanskrit mrdh "to neglect," also "to be moist"). Originally of persons and powers; of the weather from c.1400, of disease from 1744. Also in Old English as an adverb, "mercifully, graciously."