arid
AIR-id
/ˈær.ɪd/
Having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support plentiful vegetation.
Describes extreme dryness of climate or soil that severely limits plant life.
The story behind the word. From Latin aridus (dry or withered), from the verb areō (to be dry), which supplied many English words related to drought.
Word relationships
- parched: Parched describes temporary extreme dryness or thirst, whereas arid refers to a permanent dry climatic condition.
- humid: Humid means full of moisture in the air, while arid means completely dry.
Commonly confused with
- barren: Barren means unable to produce vegetation or offspring; arid specifically means dry due to lack of rain.
Word family
- aridity (noun): The state or condition of severe dryness.
- aridness (noun): Dryness of soil or climate.
Collocations
- arid zone
- arid climate
- semi-arid
- arid land
Example sentences
- "Cacti thrive in arid desert climates by storing water inside their fleshy stems." Climatology
Memory hook
ARID air feels like dry AIR in your throat. Arid = dry and rainless like a desert.
When not to use
Do not use to describe humid rainforests or waterlogged wetlands.
Fun facts
- The Atacama Desert in South America is considered the most arid non-polar place on Earth.
Related words
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