florid

[ flawr-id, flor- ]

adjective

1. reddish; ruddy; rosy:

   a florid complexion.

   Antonyms: pale

2. flowery; excessively ornate; showy:

   florid writing.

   Synonyms: gaudy, flash, rococo, grandiloquent, flamboyant

   Antonyms: unaffected, simple, plain

3. Obsolete. abounding in or consisting of flowers.

florid

/ ˈflɒrɪd /

adjective

1. having a red or flushed complexion
2. excessively ornate; flowery

   florid architecture

3. an archaic word for flowery

Derived Forms

• floˈridity, noun
• ˈfloridly, adverb

Other Words From

• flo·rid·i·ty [flaw-, rid, -i-tee, fl, uh, -], florid·ness noun
• florid·ly adverb
• over·florid adjective
• over·florid·ly adverb
• over·florid·ness noun
• un·florid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of florid¹

1635–45; < Latin flōridus, equivalent to flōr ( ēre ) to bloom ( florescence ) + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of florid¹

C17: from Latin flōridus blooming

Example Sentences

“Forbidden Colors” is strange and at times florid.

From New York Times

And during the meeting in May, his cautious rhetoric was in contrast to Mr Putin’s florid compliments about Mr Xi.

From BBC

“Take a Picture” was alive with dazzling melodies, lyrical wit, strikingly intimate vocals and marvelously florid arrangements — a small masterpiece of the microgenre known as sunshine pop.

From New York Times

He submitted a florid “Ode to Sport” under the pseudonymous pairing of “Georges Hohrod and Martin Eschbach,” the surnames borrowed from the names of French villages.

From New York Times

In a florid style, Vallejo retells everything from the Portolà expedition — the first time Europeans explored California by land — to the Gold Rush through historical digging, government records and his own memories and opinions.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• baroque
• decorative
• flamboyant
• ornate
• sonorous