pallid
Americanadjective
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pale; faint or deficient in color; wan.
a pallid countenance.
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lacking in vitality or interest.
a pallid musical performance.
adjective
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lacking colour or brightness; wan
a pallid complexion
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lacking vigour; vapid
a pallid performance
Related Words
See pale 1.
Other Word Forms
- pallidly adverb
- pallidness noun
Etymology
Origin of pallid
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin pallidus “sallow,” equivalent to pall(ēre) “to be pale” + -idus adjective suffix ( -id 4 )
Explanation
Santa looks a little pallid, meaning that he has a pale complexion, from spending too much time at the North Pole. A few days in Hawaii might do wonders to add color to his pale, bearded face. Pallid means pale, or lacking color. It's often used together with complexion to describe someone who has a pale face, either due to a lack of sunshine or some kind of emotional distress. A reclusive author could be pallid from spending too much time indoors. His books can also be called pallid if they're lacking in color and excitement.
Vocabulary lists containing pallid
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"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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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.
On the silver screen, it dazzles like few contemporary science fiction films do, opting for color over the pallid gray verisimilitude that often bogs down its peers.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
The lopsided scoreline was just reward for two-time European champions Chelsea, who were superior from the first whistle against a pallid Barcelona team.
From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025
The pictures show a pallid, hollow-eyed man, resembling Poe, who’s sitting by the fire in his dressing gown when there comes a gentle “rapping, rapping” at the door.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025
Garfield is all galling charisma and Edebiri is in some pallid register, like a Victorian ghost that you’re not sure whether to fear.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025
There’s no shade on the light, just a bare bulb overhead, which makes my face look pallid and ill, with circles under the eyes.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
