insipid

English

Etymology

From French insipide, from Latin īnsipidus (“tasteless”), from in- (“not”) + sapidus (“savory”). In some senses, perhaps influenced by insipient (“unwise, foolish, stupid”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈsɪp.ɪd/

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• Rhymes: -ɪpɪd

Adjective

insipid (comparative more insipid, superlative most insipid)

1. Unappetizingly flavorless.

   Synonyms: tasteless, bland, vapid, wearish

   The diners were disappointed with the plain, insipid soup they were served.

2. Flat; lacking character or definition.

   Synonyms: boring, vacuous, dull, bland, characterless, colourless

   The textbook had a most insipid presentation of the controversy.

   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 42, in The History of Pendennis. , volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, , published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     If the secret history of books could be written, and the author’s private thoughts and meanings noted down alongside of his story, how many insipid volumes would become interesting, and dull tales excite the reader!

Derived terms

Related terms

• insipient

Translations

Further reading

• “insipid”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “insipid”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French insipide.

Adjective

insipid m or n (feminine singular insipidă, masculine plural insipizi, feminine and neuter plural insipide)

1. insipid, tasteless

Declension

Related terms

• insipiditate