languid
LANG-gwid
/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd/
Displaying or requiring slow, relaxed, or unhurried effort; pleasantly slow or weak.
Often carries an elegant, dreamlike, or graceful connotation rather than purely negative exhaustion.
The story behind the word. Traced back to Proto-Indo-European *sleg- (slack, loose). Through Latin 'languere', it moved into Old French and then 16th-century English to describe a state of faint, relaxed, or drooping weakness.
Word relationships
- unhurried: Unhurried refers only to speed; languid carries a sense of soft, relaxed physical elegance or weakness.
- sluggish: Sluggish is typically unattractive and heavy, whereas languid can be relaxed and stylish.
- vigorous: Vigorous implies strong, fast, energy-filled physical action.
- brisk: Brisk means quick, active, and energetic.
Commonly confused with
- limpid: Limpid means clear or transparent (e.g., limpid water); languid means relaxed or weak.
Word family
- languish (verb): To grow weak or feeble; to suffer neglect.
- languidly (adverb): In a slow, relaxed, or elegant manner.
- languor (noun): A pleasant state of quiet stillness or tiredness.
Collocations
- languid wave
- languid pace
- languid afternoon
- languid smile
Idioms & expressions
- a languid stretch
Example sentences
- "They spent a languid afternoon sipping iced tea on the shaded porch." Atmospheric description
- "With a languid wave of her hand, she dismissed the servant and leaned back on her velvet cushions." Physical description
Memory hook
Languid sounds like 'LAZY and FLUID'—moving slowly like warm water. Relaxed, slow elegance.
When not to use
Do not use to describe energetic, sharp, or sudden actions.
Fun facts
- Victorian novels frequently described heroines taking 'languid strolls' in gardens to signify elegance and delicate refinement.
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