Dictionary.com
definitions

placid

[plas-id]
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR placid ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pleasantly calm or peaceful; unruffled; tranquil; serenely quiet or undisturbed: placid waters.

RELATED CONTENT

Lexical Investigations: Desiderata
Desiderata is a plural noun, with the singular form desideratum, meaning “things wanted or needed.” For many, the word desiderata most often evokes a famous poem by Max Ehrmann, written in 1927 and often referred to simply as Desiderata, without attribution or quotation marks. The poem begins with the oft-quoted lines, “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, / and remember what peace there …
READ MORE
Catchphrases That Have Seen Their 15 Minutes Of Fame
Often times, words and catchphrases surface in our culture. Many come from landmark news events, and, before you know it, that term is everywhere and firmly embedded in our collective conscience. Why do they strike such a chord? If there was a secret sauce to creating one of these memorable expressions, we’d all be copywriters. Let’s look at some buzzwords and catchphrases from the world …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

serene, easygoing, quiet, even-tempered, gentle, peaceful, tranquil, collected, composed, cool, detached, equable, even, halcyon, imperturbable, restful, self-possessed, still, irenic, poised

Origin of placid

1620–30; < Latin placidus calm, quiet, akin to placēre to please (orig., to calm); see -id4
Related formspla·cid·i·ty [pluh-sid-i-tee] /pləˈsɪd ɪ ti/, plac·id·ness, nounplac·id·ly, adverbun·plac·id, adjectiveun·plac·id·ly, adverbun·plac·id·ness, noun

Synonyms for placid

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR placid ON THESAURUS.COM
See peaceful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for placid

Contemporary Examples of placid

Historical Examples of placid

  • By degrees the placid influence of her friend calmed her perturbed spirit.

    Philothea

    Lydia Maria Child

  • It had the pure and placid expression of the human soul, when it dwells in love and peace.

    Philothea

    Lydia Maria Child

  • They were a phlegmatic race, placid, unimaginative, reposeful.

  • “A fair-haired fellow,” the last observed in a placid tone, and paused.

    The Secret Agent

    Joseph Conrad

  • Dilly took her placid companion by the arm, and hurried her on.

    Meadow Grass

    Alice Brown

British Dictionary definitions for placid

placid

adjective

having a calm appearance or nature
Derived Formsplacidity (pləˈsɪdɪtɪ) or placidness, nounplacidly, adverb

Word Origin for placid

C17: from Latin placidus peaceful; related to placēre to please
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 placid
adj.

1620s, from French placide (15c.) and directly from Latin placidus "pleasing, peaceful, quiet, gentle, still, calm," from placere "to please" (see please). Related: Placidly; placidness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper