- Today's Word
Languid
LANG-gwid
Definition
(adjective) Displaying a lack of energy or vitality; slow and relaxed.
Example
She gave a languid wave from the hammock, too tired to move more.
Fun Fact
From Latin languere (“to be weak or faint”), “languid” has long been associated with lethargy, dreamy states, or gentle slowness. It can be negative (as in illness) or romanticized—Victorian poets used it to describe graceful repose or lazy summer days. Think soft music, slow dancing, or a warm breeze making you want to nap.
(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.
Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.
Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.