torrid

adjective

tor·​rid ˈtȯr-əd How to pronounce torrid (audio)
ˈtär-
1
a
: parched with heat especially of the sun : hot
torrid sands
b
: giving off intense heat : scorching
2
: ardent, passionate
torrid love letters
torridity noun
torridly adverb
torridness noun

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What Do torrid and Toast Have in Common?

Torrid derives from the Latin verb torrēre, which means "to burn" or "to parch" and is an ancestor of our word toast. Despite the dry implications of this root, it is also an ancestor of torrent, which can refer to a violent stream of liquid (as in "a torrent of rain"). Torrid first appeared in English in the 16th century, and was originally used to describe something burned or scorched by exposure to the sun. The term torrid zone later came about to refer to tropical regions of the Earth. Torrid has taken on several extended meanings that we would use for hot, including "showing fiery passion," as in "torrid love letters," or "displaying unusual luck or fortune," as in "a baseball player on a torrid hitting streak."

Examples of torrid in a Sentence

The team had a torrid time trying to score. the dry, torrid summers in southern Arizona
Recent Examples on the Web Nvidia maintained its torrid pace, closing higher by 29% for February. Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Some prefer action figures, others like to dress up in the costumes, and not a few will write torrid fanfiction. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2024 Opera was thee space for playful gender exploration at the time; this season could expand on the Opera Wars plot of season two with Che joining the company of one of the houses as a singer specializing in trouser roles who seduces Ada in a torrid affair. Vulture, 17 Jan. 2024 Idaho Employment gain: 3% The state posted torrid growth during the pandemic as residents in large cities flocked to Boise, a burgeoning cultural center with affordable housing and lots of open space. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 That would represent a 20 percent gain year-over-year, but still a sharp slowdown from a previously torrid adoption pace. IEEE Spectrum, 8 Feb. 2024 The video set off a torrid social media response Friday when Loesch and a Santos assistant exchanged sharp barbs on X, formerly Twitter, over photos of a social justice rally on June 6, 2020, in Southlake Town Square. Cheers to Friday! Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2024 Following a torrid, COVID-impacted 2022 box office, China’s exhibitor market enjoyed a more than 80% rebound in 2023, reaching a full year total of RMB54.9 billion or $7.73 billion, according to consultancy Artisan Gateway. Patrick Frater, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024 Despite running on limited shut-eye each night, the antechinus managed to maintain their torrid pursuit of mates—and researchers have recorded these animals participating in marathon mating sessions lasting 14 straight hours. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torrid.' 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

borrowed from French & Latin; French torride, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin torridus "dried by exposure to heat, parched, scorched," adjective derivative from the stem of torreō, torrēre "to heat so as to dry, scorch, parch" — more at thirst entry 1

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of torrid was in 1545

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Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

torrid

adjective
tor·​rid ˈtȯr-əd How to pronounce torrid (audio)
ˈtär-
: very hot and usually dry
torridly adverb
Etymology

from Latin torridus "dried or burnt by heat, torrid," derived from torrēre "to heat so as to dry up or burn" — related to torrent

Word Origin
The Latin verb torrēre, meaning "to heat so as to dry up or burn," gave rise to two quite different English words. They are torrid and torrent. The Latin adjective torridus, meaning "dried or burnt by heat," was formed from torrēre. It became our torrid. Another Latin adjective, torrens, meaning "scorching, burning," was also formed from torrēre. It, however, gained a second sense of "flowing with great force and speed, rushing." This second sense led to the use of torrens as a noun for "a rushing or violent stream." This noun was borrowed into English as torrent. It came to refer not only to rushing water, but also to any kind of outpouring, such as of words, information, sounds, or feelings.

More from Merriam-Webster on torrid

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