arid

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adjective ar·id \ ˈa-rəd , ˈer-əd \

Definition of arid

1 :excessively dry; specifically :having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture

an arid region

2 :lacking in interest and life :jejune

arid textbooks

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aridity

play \ə-ˈri-də-tē, a-\ noun

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aridness

play \ˈa-rəd-nəs, ˈer-əd-\ noun

See arid defined for English-language learners

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Examples of arid in a Sentence

a dull and arid textbook
an arid speech about duty and responsibility

Recent Examples of arid from the Web

Hailed as a feat of American ingenuity, the dam provides electricity and irrigation for agriculture in what was once an arid high desert plateau.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "What I did on my summer vacation," 11 Aug. 2017
Tight Ends PLAYER ADP FITZ RANKING ADVICE Virgil Green N/A TE44 Hit snooze button Denver’s tight end position is an arid fantasy wasteland.

— pat fitzmaurice, SI.com, "Denver Broncos Fantasy Football 2017 Preview: Demaryius Thomas Is Best Bet," 2 Aug. 2017
What looks like arid scrubland contains countless Indian burial grounds and other sites sacred to the tribes who lived here: the Nez Perce, the Umatilla, and the Yakama.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
The facility is used as an aircraft boneyard where the arid climate helps prevent aircraft corrosion.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Air Force Finds Cheap 747s That Were Owned by Russian Airline for Air Force One," 1 Aug. 2017
Now, a stone that was formerly only found in abundance in the arid climes of Arizona, or in chunky stacks on your quirky aunt's fingers, is showing up in increasingly fashionable settings.

— the editors of gq style, GQ, "14 Awesome Turquoise Pieces That Will Bring You Good Style Vibes," 26 July 2017
New panels are being developed specifically for arid deserts and others to withstand sultry rainforests.

— TIME.com, "The world’s largest floating solar farm," 18 July 2017
Since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 the arid Sinai has been a place of unrest.

— j. weston phippen, The Atlantic, "Seven Are Dead in Separate Attacks in Egypt," 14 July 2017
The displaced lived in tents, provided by the U.N. and Turkey, in an arid climate, with scorching summer weather.

— philip issa, The Seattle Times, "Weary Syrians trickle back home to government-held areas," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of arid

French or Latin; French aride, from Latin aridus, from arēre to be dry; akin to Sanskrit āsa ash, Old English asce

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1652

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arid Synonyms

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

ARID Defined for English Language Learners

arid

play

adjective

Definition of arid for English Language Learners

: very dry : having very little rain or water
: lacking in interest and life

ARID Defined for Kids

arid

play

adjective ar·id \ ˈer-əd \

Definition of arid for Students

:not having enough rainfall to support agriculture

Learn More about arid

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for arid Spanish Central: Translation of arid Nglish: Translation of arid for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of arid for Arabic speakers

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arid

Definition of arid

aridity

aridness

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Examples of arid in a Sentence

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arid Synonyms

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ARID Defined for English Language Learners

arid

Definition of arid for English Language Learners

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arid

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