lurid (2009-10-03)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['lu-rid]

Definition: (1) Sickly, deathly, pallid, as a skin lurid from a disease. (2) Bright, red, as a lurid flash of lightning. (3) Gruesome and sensationalistic, ghastly, grisly.

Usage: This is a word that may be used in at least three different ways (see Definition): "Darnel's complexion was positively lurid from the failure of sunlight to ever touch it." It is easy to forget that this word also means "glowing red" like flames and embers, "Although the fire was mostly extinguished, the occasional lurid flame could be seen through the residual smoke." The word is used most widely today in its most recent sense, "sensationally gruesome," as in, "I heard Ronald was arrested for mistreating a duck—give me all the lurid details!"

Suggested Usage: Today's is one of those rarest of lexical items in English pronounced exactly the way it is spelled. It is also another 'contranym,' a word containing two meanings that are antonymous: pale and bright. It has an adverb "luridly" and a regular noun, "luridness."

Etymology: Today's word is a derivative of Latin luridus "pale" from luror "paleness." Not much more is known of this stem; it doesn't seem to have been spread widely across the ancient languages. It may have been borrowed by Latin.