insipid

insipid
insipid 1610s, "without taste or perceptible flavor," from Fr. insipide (16c.), from L.L. inspidus "tasteless," from L. in- "not" (see IN- (Cf. in-) (1)) + sapidus "tasty," from sapere "have a taste" (also "be wise;" see SAPIENT (Cf. sapient)). Figurative meaning "uninteresting, dull" first recorded 1640s, but it was also a secondary sense in Medieval Latin.
In ye coach ... went Mrs. Barlow, the King's mistress and mother to ye Duke of Monmouth, a browne, beautifull, bold, but insipid creature. [John Evelyn, diary, Aug. 18, 1649]
Related: Insipidly.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • insipid — INSIPÍD, Ă, insipizi, de, adj. (Despre corpuri chimice, substanţe etc.) Fără gust; (despre alimente) fad, searbăd. ♦ fig. Fără spirit, fără haz, anost. – Din fr. insipide. Trimis de valeriu, 21.07.2003. Sursa: DEX 98  INSIPÍD adj. dulceag, fad,… …   Dicționar Român

  • insipid — insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, wishy washy, inane mean devoid of qualities which give spirit, character, or substance to a thing. Something insipid is without taste, or savor, or pungency; the term is applied not only to food and drink… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Insipid — In*sip id, a. [L. insipidus; pref. in not + sapidus savory, fr. sapere to taste: cf. F. insipide. See {Savor}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Wanting in the qualities which affect the organs of taste; without taste or savor; vapid; tasteless; as, insipid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • insipid — [in sip′id] adj. [< Fr & LL: Fr insipide < LL insipidus < L in , not + sapidus, savory < sapere, to taste: see SAPIENT] 1. without flavor; tasteless 2. not exciting or interesting; dull; lifeless insipidity n. pl. insipidities… …   English World dictionary

  • insipid — [adj1] dull, uninteresting anemic, arid, banal, beige, blah*, bland, characterless, colorless, commonplace, dead*, drab, driveling, dry, feeble, flat, ho hum*, inane, innocuous, jejune, lifeless, limp, mild, mundane, nebbish, nothing, ordinary,… …   New thesaurus

  • Insipid — (v. lat.), fad, geschmacklos …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Insipīd — (lat.), unschmackhaft; fade, albern …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Insipid — (lat.), unschmackhaft, albern …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Insipid — Insipid, lat. deutsch, fade, abgeschmackt …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • insipid — I adjective banal, bloodless, boring, colorless, diluted, dreary, dull, feeble, flat, flavorless, frigidus, halfhearted, impotent, inactive, ineffective, ineptus, insubstantial, insulsus, irresolute, languid, limp, pointless, powerless, savorless …   Law dictionary

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