Apedia

Stolid Word Adjective Stah Lid Derives Stolidus Means Dull

Stolid is an adjective describing someone showing little or no sensibility, i.e., unemotional. It comes from the Latin 'stolidus' (dull, stupid) but today emphasizes lack of emotion.

Stolid es un adjetivo que describe a alguien que muestra poca o ninguna sensibilidad, es decir, que no expresa emociones. Proviene del latín 'stolidus' (sordo, estúpido), pero hoy enfatiza la falta de emoción.

Word stolid
Date May 24, 2016
Type adjective
Syllables STAH-lid
Etymology Stolid derives from stolidus, a word that means "dull" or "stupid" in Latin. It is also distantly related to the word stultify, meaning "to cause to appear or be stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical." The earliest examples of usage for stolid, dating back to the early 17th century, indicate that it too was originally associated with a lack of smarts; it was used to describe people who were considered dull or stupid because they didn't wear their emotions on their sleeves. By the 1800s, however, stolid was frequently appearing without the connotation of foolishness, and it continues to be free of such overtones today.
Examples The stolid detective spoke to the witness in a precise, unequivocal manner.

"A modest woman of great heart and spirit, Deirdre, perhaps more than any other member of the family, has weathered the storms she and her husband have endured with a stolid equanimity…." — Charles Isherwood, The New York Times, 19 Feb. 2016
Definition : having or expressing little or no sensibility : unemotional

Tags: wordoftheday::adjective

Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.

Next card: Litotes word greek meaning noun lye-tuh-teez heard chances

Previous card: Milquetoast character sunday noun milk-tohst caspar comic strip

Up to card list: Word of the Day