supine

American  

[soo-pahyn, soo-pahyn] / suˈpaɪn, ˈsu paɪn /

adjective

1. lying on the back, face or front upward.

2. inactive, passive, or inert, especially from indolence or indifference.

3. (of the hand) having the palm upward.

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noun

1. (in Latin) a noun form derived from verbs, appearing only in the accusative and the dative-ablative, as dictū in mirābile dictū, “wonderful to say.”

2. (in English) the simple infinitive of a verb preceded by to.

3. an analogous form in some other language.

supine British  

adjective

1. lying or resting on the back with the face, palm, etc, upwards

2. displaying no interest or animation; lethargic

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noun

1.  sup.  grammar a noun form derived from a verb in Latin, often used to express purpose with verbs of motion

Other Word Forms

• supineness
  noun
• unsupine
  adjective
• supinely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of supine

First recorded in 1490–1500, supine is from the Latin word supīnus lying face up, inactive

Explanation

You can be described as supine when you're lying face up — for example, your favorite yoga poses might be the supine ones. Someone who is very passive or lethargic could also be called supine — for instance, someone might be supine in the face of continuous threats and insults. The adjective supine comes from a Latin word, supinus, which means “thrown backwards” or “inactive.” Whenever a person or animal is lying on its back, belly-up, it is supine. When your hand is open, palm-up, it is also supine. Supine can even describe a person who gives insufficient resistance, or who is lazy and ineffectual. "When Jack refused to object to the landlord’s repeated — and gouging — rent increases, he was supine."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

supine

This was too much even for habitually supine Republican senators, who took their wrath out on Mr. Blanche.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

The Tesla board, which had changed somewhat since 2018 but was still supine toward Musk, also asked shareholders in effect to overturn McCormick’s ruling by voting on the pay package again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2024

"They do not at the moment. They are too supine, too incurious, too compliant," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2023

A hinged support slowly elevates a supine patient into a partial sitting position.

From New York Times ● Jun. 15, 2023

When his coughing spell was over and he saw his daughter stretched out supine on the moonlit ground, Dufarge put two and two together.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger