- Today's Word
Supine
Supine
SOO-pine
Definition
(adjective) Lying face upward; also used metaphorically to describe passivity or lack of resistance.
Example
He lay supine beneath the stars, completely at peace.
Word Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin supinus, meaning “bent backward” or “reclining.”
Fun Fact
Supine is one of those words that straddles the physical and the metaphorical. It can describe someone literally lying on their back—or someone who’s failing to stand up for themselves or others. In politics or leadership criticism, someone might be described as supine when they’re passive in the face of injustice or pressure. It’s a single word that can evoke either serenity… or spinelessness.
