limpid (2009-10-24)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['lim-pid]

Definition: Clear (of liquid), transparent (liquid or writing style).

Usage: This word is most comfortable in the company of water, "The limpid, all but totally apathetic mountain stream mirrored the fawn's composure discreetly in its own." However, it currently gets along famously with several other nouns, "Her limpid eyes betrayed an early departure from the party of the previous evening."

Suggested Usage: This word started out referring only to clear pools of water, a synonym of "pellucid" and "lucid." However, like these words, it migrated to clarity in general, especially as relates to writing style: "Margaret's positively limpid written style makes her essays a pure pleasure to read." You have your choice of nouns, "limpidity" or "limpidness" and the adverb is "limpidly."

Etymology: Today's word comes almost directly from Latin limpidus "clear, bright," a word related to lympha "clear water, stream." It seems to have influenced the meaning of nymph "water sprite," borrowed from Greek numphê "bride." The original root is also related to Greek lampein "to shine" and lampas "torch," which English borrowed as "lamp." So far as we can tell, it bears no relation to "limp" in any of its meanings.