What does languid mean?
Languid describes someone or something that seems to move slowly and without urgency, often with a relaxed, dreamy, or sensuous quality. It can imply a pleasant atmosphere of ease, as in a languid summer afternoon, but it can also suggest listlessness, physical weakness, or a lack of enthusiasm. The adjective is especially common in literary and descriptive writing, where it conveys both manner and atmosphere. Compared with the more general word listless, languid often adds a sense of graceful slowness or dreamy pleasure. In a negative context, it can imply that someone is idle or lacking drive, so the surrounding context usually determines whether its tone is approving or critical.
adjectiveLacking energy or vitality; moving or proceeding in a slow, relaxed, or listless manner. It can also describe something that is slow and dreamy, often suggesting pleasure, comfort, or physical weakness.
- Lacking energy, vitality, or enthusiasm; listless or sluggish.
- Moving or happening slowly, often in a relaxed, graceful, or dreamy manner.
- Suggesting physical weakness, comfortable sensuality, or a dreamy lack of urgency.
"She stretched with languid grace, letting the warm afternoon pass without a care."
"The heat made the whole afternoon languid, and the children rested beneath the trees."
"He gave a languid smile and continued reading, apparently unbothered by the interruption."
From the Latin languidus, meaning weak or faint, languid preserves the sense of energy fading into slowness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does languid come from?
Languid comes from the Latin adjective languidus, meaning weak, faint, or listless, from the verb languere, “to be weak” or “to be faint.” The word entered English in the early 17th century, initially in a medical context and later acquiring associations with slowness and relaxed behavior. It belongs to a family that includes languor, languorous, and languish, all reflecting the underlying idea of weakness, weariness, or lack of vitality.
Related word forms
How languid is actually used
The word is literary and somewhat elegant rather than strictly neutral. It can be approving, especially when describing graceful, relaxed movement, but it may also suggest laziness, weakness, or lack of enthusiasm depending on context.
Easily confused with languid
Languid describes a relaxed or listless manner, while languorous more often emphasizes a dreamy, sensual, or physically weak quality.
Listless means lacking interest or energy, whereas languid can specifically convey a slow, graceful, or sensuous quality.