florid
|flor-id|
🇺🇸
/ˈflɔːrɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈflɒrɪd/
flowery / blooming; showy
Etymology
'florid' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'floridus', where 'flor-' meant 'flower' or 'bloom'.
'floridus' passed into Late Latin and was used in learned contexts; from there it was borrowed into English (from Latin usage) in the 16th century as the modern English word 'florid'.
Initially it meant 'flowery' or 'abounding in flowers' (literally 'blooming'), but over time it evolved to include senses of 'having a ruddy (rosy) complexion' and figuratively 'excessively ornate or showy'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having a healthy reddish or rosy color; flushed in appearance.
His florid complexion suggested he had been out in the sun.
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Adjective 2
elaborately or excessively intricate or ornate; showy in style or language (often negatively).
The critic called the author's florid prose overwrought and distracting.
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Adjective 3
fully developed, manifest, or intense (often used in medical/contextual descriptions, e.g., a florid case of a disease).
The patient presented a florid rash that required immediate treatment.
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Last updated: 2025/12/07 16:20