placidly

American  

[plas-id-lee] / ˈplæs ɪd li /

adverb

1. in a calm or peaceful manner; tranquilly.

   The mural brings to life a world where mammoths still embark on ancient migrations, where giant ground sloths browse placidly, where saber-toothed tigers stalk their prey.

2. in a way that shows a lack of energy or concern.

   After playing fairly placidly in the first quarter and ending down three goals, the girls entered the second quarter with stronger, more dynamic play.

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Usage

What does placidly mean? Placidly means in a way that is placid—calm, peaceful, or quiet. Placid is used to describe things that have a calm appearance or a calm nature, such as a placid pond whose surface is perfectly still. When placid is used to describe people, it can mean that they’re very calm and even-tempered. However, placid can also mean showing a lack of energy or concern. Saying that a person is acting placidly in this way is often done to criticize them for not caring enough to take action in a situation that calls for action to be taken, as in You shouldn’t accept defeat so placidly. Example: Rex is the calmest dog I’ve ever had—he acts so placidly, even around strangers.

Other Word Forms

• unplacidly adverb

Etymology

Origin of placidly

placid ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Something done placidly happens in a calm manner. You floated placidly, blissfully unaware of the rapids just downstream. I hope you brought your life jacket! The word placidly is the adverb form of placid, which means "quiet and serene." Some words don't change much through their evolution. So it is with placidly, which finds its origin in the Latin placidus which means — what else? — calm and gentle. We can see the word’s meaning in the opening of the poem “Desiderata,” by Max Ehrmann: "Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence."

Example Sentences

Ogie, who accepts without question that his legs don’t function, is helped each morning into the tub by one of the brothers, where he placidly exists.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2023

Archie, the owl whose species is native to Europe and Asia, stood placidly under the shower of a sprinkler.

From Reuters • Jul. 21, 2023

In its small glass aquarium, an octopus is coiled placidly in its den.

From New York Times • Sep. 20, 2022

The days play out as placidly as the surface of Deep Creek Lake — and with the same murky depths lurking beneath.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2022

I was unable to do anything about any of this suffering, and therefore accepted it, as they did, placidly.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• constantly
• smoothly
• steadily
• uniformly