SKIP TO CONTENT

florid

/ˈflɔrəd/
IPA guide

Other forms: florider

Something that's elaborate and full of extra flourishes is florid, whether it's your relatives' ornate decorating style or the way they talk, using a lot of unnecessarily long, complicated words.

Florid is an adjective that entered English in the 17th century, via the French floride, from the Latin flōridus, "blooming." You can probably guess how Florida and flourish are related! Something overly decorated, such as a fussy living room, is florid in the flowery sense, while pale-skinned people with rosy cheeks are florid because they appear to be flourishing with good health.

Definitions of florid
  1. adjective
    elaborately or excessively ornamented
    “the senator's florid speech”
    synonyms: aureate, flamboyant
    fancy
    not plain; decorative or ornamented
  2. adjective
    inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
    synonyms: rubicund, ruddy, sanguine
    healthy
    having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘florid'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family