First Known Use: 1620
Dictionary
flaccid
adjective flac·cid \ˈfla-səd also ˈflak-səd\
: not firm : not hard or solid
: lacking strength or force
Full Definition of FLACCID
1
a : not firm or stiff; also : lacking normal or youthful firmness <flaccid muscles> b of a plant part : deficient in turgor
2
: lacking vigor or force <flaccid leadership>
— flac·cid·i·ty \fla(k)-ˈsi-də-tē\ noun
— flac·cid·ly \ˈfla(k)-səd-lē\ adverb
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Examples of FLACCID
- Virgil Thomson, in his review of the evening, called the libretto “flaccid and spineless,” but that is unfair. It is a witty piece of writing. —J. D. McClatchy, New Republic, 29 Nov. 1993
- Her hands are long and slim, delicate, as Dorothy's were; her handshake is flaccid, her smile is sweet but unconvincing. —Richard Bausch, Esquire, August 1990
- Half must have been, of course, men and women over fifty and their bodies reflected the pull of their character … many a man had a flaccid paunch … —Norman Mailer, Harper's, November 1968
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Origin of FLACCID
Latin flaccidus, from flaccus flabby
Related to FLACCID
Other Physiology Terms
Medical Dictionary
flaccid
adjective flac·cid \ˈflas-əd, ˈflak-səd\
Medical Definition of FLACCID
: not firm or stiff; also : lacking normal or youthful firmness <flaccid muscles>
—flac·cid·i·ty \fla(k)-ˈsid-ət-ē\ noun, plural flac·cid·i·ties
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