flaccid

/ˈflæ(k)səd/

Other forms: flaccidly

If something is limp, loose, droopy, and wrinkly, you can call it flaccid, which rhymes with "acid." Think elephant skin, soggy asparagus, and the type of feeble handshakes frowned on in job interviews.

We get the word flaccid from the Latin flaccus, which meant "flabby." The meaning is pretty much the same today, though it applies to more than physical flab. Flaccid pops up in conversation to describe lackluster leadership, dull conversation, and even feeble attempts at word definitions. If a politician's election campaign is flaccid, it will surprise no one that he only receives two votes — one from his grandmother and the other from someone who accidentally checked the wrong box on the ballot.

Definitions of flaccid

1. adjective

   drooping without elasticity; wanting in stiffness
   synonyms:

   soft

   yielding readily to pressure or weight
2. adjective

   out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance
   “flaccid cheeks”

   synonyms: flabby, soft

   unfit

   not in good physical or mental condition; out of condition