torrid
Americanadjective
adjective
-
so hot and dry as to parch or scorch
-
arid or parched
-
highly charged emotionally
a torrid love scene
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of torrid
1580–90; < Latin torridus dried up, parched, equivalent to torr ( ēre ) to parch, burn ( see torrent, thirst) + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Torrid can mean "emotionally charged and passionate," like a torrid romance in a soap opera. But if you’re listening to a torrid band, you’re simply hearing musicians that have a lot of energy. Torrid is an adjective that can literally describe something extremely hot — like a torrid afternoon in the desert. It also describes something that's very energetic, or something that has an extreme emotional charge — which is why people often apply torrid to intense romantic relationships. Torrid comes from the Latin word torrere, meaning “parch or scorch.”
Vocabulary lists containing torrid
Term-ometer: Synonyms for "Hot"
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "T"
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Hamilton
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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.
Semenyo played the opening 45 minutes and gave Inter full-back Andy Diouf a torrid time with his pace and direct running, helping to set up Divine Mukasa's goal for City.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
The stock’s torrid pace or the company’s usefulness to AI infrastructure doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Chip makers, including Intel, Micron and AMD, closed Monday on their worst two-session skid since March, an abrupt halt to a torrid weekslong rally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
And this time around, investors can point to strong earnings growth to help justify the torrid surge in prices.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
It’s even hotter up here, torrid, and the smell of perspiration makes him light-headed.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
