torrid

adjective

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tor·rid | \ ˈtȯr-əd

, ˈtär- \

Definition of torrid

1a : parched with heat especially of the sun : hot torrid sands

b : giving off intense heat : scorching

2 : ardent, passionate torrid love letters

Other Words from torrid Synonyms & Antonyms What Do torrid and Toast Have in Common? More Example Sentences Learn More about torrid

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Other Words from torrid

torridity \ tȯ-ˈri-də-tē

\ noun

torridly \ ˈtȯr-əd-lē

, ˈtär- \ adverb

torridness noun

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. By the end of that century the word had taken on the extended meaning that we know today - suggesting fiery passion.

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 The veteran wing turns in 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, and keeps up his torrid pace from beyond the arc in Utah’s 112-89 win in Houston. — Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Joe Ingles continues his streak of stellar starts in place of injured Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell," 21 Apr. 2021 Hewitt-Trussville continued its torrid pace in high school baseball, winning four games last week, including downing Auburn in a matchup of the top two teams in Class 7A. — Dennis Victory, al, "Central spring roundup: Hewitt-Trussville continues torrid pace in high school baseball," 5 Apr. 2021 Jordan Lawlar continued his torrid start to district play with two hits and two runs as the Jesuit baseball team remained undefeated in District 7-6A with a 7-0 win over Lake Highlands. — Greg Riddle, Dallas News, "Baseball/softball replay: Keller defeats state’s fourth-ranked team; Prosper home run record falls," 23 Mar. 2021 Devin Booker continued his torrid pace this week, averaging 30.7 points on 38 percent 3-point shooting, while Chris Paul put up 18.5 points and 8.3 assists, including some big plays down the stretch in the win over Utah. — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, "NBA power rankings: Are the Phoenix Suns the best team after win over Utah Jazz?," 12 Apr. 2021 Carraway was on a torrid pace then with 34 points in six games including a hat trick in all of those games. — Mike Preston, baltimoresun.com, "Mike Preston: Jake Carraway leaves his own lacrosse legacy at Georgetown | COMMENTARY," 10 Apr. 2021 In addition to the torrid, historic offensive pace of Tatis, working with fielding guru Bobby Dickerson and others completely flipped the script on defensive inconsistency in 2019. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Baseball ’21: San Diego can bury concerns, celebrate surging Padres," 27 Mar. 2021 The Federal Reserve boosted its economic growth projection to 6.5% for this year, a torrid pace not matched for decades. — Los Angeles Times, "Essential Politics: A Senate showdown builds as Biden takes a stand on filibusters and taxes," 19 Mar. 2021 Corey Seager hit a solo home run in the first inning to continue his torrid stretch. — Los Angeles Times, "Julio Urías and Dodgers run into trouble fast in exhibition loss to Royals," 14 Mar. 2021

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