Definition of LUCID

Choose the Right Synonym for lucid

clear, perspicuous, lucid mean quickly and easily understood. clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity. clear instructions perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear. a perspicuous style lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement. a lucid explanation

Shine a Light on the Origin of Lucid

It's easy enough to shed some light on the origins of lucid: it derives—via the Latin adjective lucidus, meaning "shining"—from the Latin verb lucēre, meaning "to shine." Lucid has been used by English speakers since at least the late 16th century. Originally, it meant merely "filled with light" or "shining," but it has since developed extended senses describing someone whose mind is clear or something with a clear meaning. Other shining examples of lucēre descendants include translucent, lucent ("glowing"), and the somewhat rarer relucent ("reflecting light" or "shining"). Even the word light itself derives from the same ancient word that led to lucēre.

Examples of lucid in a Sentence

The stroke also set off a major crisis of presidential succession, as the debilitated and not entirely lucid president continued to cling to office and plan feebly for re-election. — Beverly Gage, New York Times Book Review, 13 Dec 2009 His lucid history of this grim subject is scrupulously accurate, so far as I am able to judge … — Richard A. Posner, New Republic, 8 Apr 2002 "You would like me to read to you?" "You would oblige me greatly by doing so, Dorothea," said Mr. Casaubon, with a shade more meekness than usual in his polite manner. "I am wakeful: my mind is remarkably lucid." — George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1872 The atmosphere, seen through a short space of half or three-quarters of a mile, was perfectly lucid, but at a greater distance all colours were blended into a most beautiful haze … — Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, 1839 He is able to recognize his wife in his lucid moments. those lucid bands that spread across the arctic sky and are known as the northern lights

Recent Examples on the Web

Written in elegant, lucid prose, her book is a treasure trove of European cultural riches and scandalous intrigue. — The Economist, "The life and loves of Alma Mahler," 14 June 2019 Her lucid prose is precise and pointed, filled with telling details gathered from contemporary accounts and scholarly histories, old guidebooks and recent interviews. — New York Times, "Notes From the Book Review Archives," 11 May 2018 Nearly a quarter of us report lucid dreaming once a month or more. — Achilleas Pavlou, Quartz, "A lucid dream researcher’s tips for controlling your dreams," 29 June 2019 Latido serves a mix of traditional and cheffed-up takes of the cuisines of Argentina, Peru, Panama and Colombia, including phenomal empanadas and a lucid tuna ceviche. — Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "Our restaurant critic's 12 favorite metro Detroit dishes from the first half of 2019," 28 June 2019 As the dreamy outer planet slows down to a halt on the day of the solstice, the vibe will be lucid and introspective. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What Your Sign's June Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 29 May 2019 In 2017 his calm, lucid explanation of what was up with Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Katia went viral on Reddit.com, a feat that got noticed in outlets such as The Washington Post. — Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al.com, "Meteorologist Sealls ‘not trying to leave’ Mobile area," 12 June 2019 The electric light tires his eyes and dulls his alertness without which lucid thought is impossible. — Amos Oz, Harper's magazine, "Setting the World to Rights," 10 Apr. 2019 In From Bacteria to Bach and Back, his eighteenth book, Dennett presents a valuable and typically lucid synthesis of his worldview. — Thomas Nagel, The New York Review of Books, "Thomas Nagel," 21 Mar. 2019

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