limpid

adjective

lim·​pid ˈlim-pəd How to pronounce limpid (audio)
1
a
: marked by transparency (see transparent sense 1) : pellucid
limpid streams
b
: clear and simple in style
limpid prose
2
: absolutely serene and untroubled
the benign effects of a limpid childhoodTime
limpidity noun
limpidly adverb
limpidness noun

Did you know?

Since around 1600, limpid has been used in English to describe things that have the soft clearness of pure water. The aquatic connection is not incidental; language scholars believe that limpid probably traces to lympha, a Latin word meaning "water." That same Latin root is also the source of the word lymph, the English name for the pale liquid that helps maintain the body's fluid balance and that removes bacteria from tissues.

Choose the Right Synonym for limpid

clear, transparent, translucent, limpid mean capable of being seen through.

clear implies absence of cloudiness, haziness, or muddiness.

clear water

transparent implies being so clear that objects can be seen distinctly.

a transparent sheet of film

translucent implies the passage of light but not a clear view of what lies beyond.

translucent frosted glass

limpid suggests the soft clearness of pure water.

her eyes were limpid pools of blue

Examples of limpid in a Sentence

the limpid waters of the stream her eyes are the blue of a limpid stream of water
Recent Examples on the Web In a room adjacent to the main selling space sit displays and wall vitrines showcasing gala-appropriate jewels set with Colombian emeralds, unheated rubies and sapphires, and Type IIa diamonds (a gemological classification that denotes the finest, most limpid stones). Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2023 Lang’s compositions analyze fragments of the scriptural text in limpid vocal harmony. The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2023 Brooke has a limpid, assured style: cruel, yes, but not detached or apathetic. Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 21 Sep. 2023 Fez was a man of few words, and the actor’s performance had a consistent stillness to it; his limpid, gentle gaze often did the talking for him. Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2023 Their inclusion suggests a concession to those experiencing smartphone withdrawal (phone camera photography is mostly useless here, a small blessing), as if Sakamoto’s limpid playing was somehow not enough of a gift. Max Lakin, New York Times, 25 June 2023 The sense of how places, cities, architecture and cultural mores shape and change people over time is deeply embedded in the limpid cinematography of Shabier Kirchner (who shot Steve McQueen’s Small Axe films), its naturalistic gaze somehow managing to be both detached and intimate. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2023 Floors of white terrazzo and ceilings of blonde pine create warm, limpid spaces within. Mark Lamster, Dallas News, 21 Mar. 2023 Renzo Piano’s building, with its open, limpid spaces, is an ideal complement to Bertoia’s work, and the curators have done well in presenting the work in a straightforward, unfussy manner, on white plinths and pedestals. Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'limpid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Latin; French limpide, from Latin limpidus, perhaps from lympha water — more at lymph

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of limpid was in 1598

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Dictionary Entries Near limpid

Cite this Entry

“Limpid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limpid. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

limpid

adjective
lim·​pid ˈlim-pəd How to pronounce limpid (audio)
: perfectly clear : transparent
limpid streams
limpidity noun
limpidly adverb
limpidness noun

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