First Known Use: 1609
Dictionary
insipid
adjective in·sip·id \in-ˈsi-pəd\
: not interesting or exciting : dull or boring
: lacking strong flavor
Full Definition of INSIPID
1
: lacking taste or savor : tasteless <insipid food>
2
— in·si·pid·i·ty \ˌin-sə-ˈpi-də-tē\ noun
— in·sip·id·ly \in-ˈsi-pəd-lē\ adverb
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Examples of INSIPID
- While it is fashionable to write off that decade as an insipid time, one long pajama party, the '50s, in sport at least, were a revolutionary age. —Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 27 Dec. 1999–31 Jan. 2000
- I'd climbed and fished in the emptiest reaches of the American West, but Alaska made the wilds of the lower 48 seem insipid and tame, a toothless simulacrum. —Jon Krakauer, Smithsonian, June 1995
- By contrast, what we know as “popular” or “mass” culture has always conformed to the most insipid prejudices, and the least subtle formulations, of society. —Joyce Carol Oates, The Profane Art, 1983
- One evening, over beers, Rasala complained about some insipid movie recently shown on TV. —Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine, 1981
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Origin of INSIPID
French & Late Latin; French insipide, from Late Latin insipidus, from Latin in- + sapidus savory, from sapere to taste — more at sage
Related to INSIPID
Synonym Discussion of INSIPID
insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character. insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest <an insipid romance with platitudes on every page>. vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit <an exciting story given a vapid treatment>. flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest <although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat>. jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance <a jejune and gassy speech>. banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy <a banal tale of unrequited love>. inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality <an inane interpretation of the play>.
INSIPIDITY Defined for Kids
insipid
adjective in·sip·id \in-ˈsi-pəd\
Definition of INSIPID for Kids
1
: having little taste or flavor
2
: not interesting or challenging
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