placid

play

adjective plac·id \ˈpla-səd\

Definition of placid

: serenely free of interruption or disturbance placid skies a placid disposition; also : complacent 1

placidity

play \pla-ˈsi-də-tē, plə-\ noun

placidly

play \ˈpla-səd-lē\ adverb

placidness

noun

See placid defined for English-language learners

See placid defined for kids

placid was our Word of the Day on 11/25/2011. Hear the podcast!

Examples of placid in a Sentence

a person with a sunny, placid disposition
the placid surface of the lake

Recent Examples of placid from the Web

Bell says recreational swimmers and kayakers are being caught off guard by a river that's usually far more placid.

— CBS News, "Rare Calif. summer snowpack fun for skiers--but spawning raging waters downstream," 5 July 2017
In contrast to the mild, placid Allen, Mahaney is an irascible mountain man who could start an argument in an empty room.

— Smithsonian, "How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?," 28 June 2017
In the formal dining room, the couple entertained both dignitaries and Tennessee backwoodsmen, without regard for their station, and in a placid location behind the garden are their graves.

— patti nickell, charlotteobserver, "Why travelers are calling Nashville the new Austin," 26 June 2017
On this summer day, the world looked placid over on Calumet too.

— mary schmich, chicagotribune.com, "New playground at Park Manor school gives kids something new — recess," 22 June 2017
While the two companies’ stocks rose sharply and their competitors’ tanked, the rest of the market remained placid.

— greg ip, WSJ, "The Economy Needs Amazons, but It Mostly Has GEs," 21 June 2017
What stirred the placid Indians into attack mode during their 8-1 win over the Twins at Target Field?

— paul hoynes, cleveland.com, "What will it take to keep the Cleveland Indians fully engaged? Rant of the week," 17 June 2017
Gunfire shattered the placid early morning in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday in what became our country's 154th mass shooting this year and the first of two that day.

— jack holmes, Esquire, "Why Elected Officials Need to Stop the Performance Politics," 15 June 2017
In the formal dining room, the couple entertained both dignitaries and Tennessee backwoodsmen, without regard for their station, and in a placid location behind the garden are their graves.

— patti nickell, chicagotribune.com, "Here's why travelers are calling Nashville the new Austin," 12 June 2017

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

What is the Difference Between placid, calm, tranquil, and serene?

Like placid, the words calm, tranquil, and serene all mean "quiet and free from disturbance." Calm conveys a quiet composure that contrasts with surrounding chaos, while tranquil suggests a very deep quietude and peace. Serene is loftier still, carrying a sense of utter peace and happiness. Though placid traces back to Latin placēre, meaning "to please," it isn't always as positive a term as its synonyms. It can imply a lack of agitation rather than a true peace, and it sometimes suggests excessive self-satisfaction or even stupidity.

Origin and Etymology of placid

Latin placidus, from placēre to please — more at please

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1626

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of placid

calm, tranquil, serene, placid, peaceful mean quiet and free from disturbance. calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence. the protests ended, and the streets were calm again tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure. the tranquil beauty of a formal garden serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility. watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency. remained placid despite the criticism peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil. grown peaceful in old age