placid

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Of a person or animal, not easily upset or angered, with a calm and even temper.

   Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after be: a placid child, the child is placid.

   Patterns

   • placid by nature
   • a placid person

   The placid cow barely looked up when we walked past.

   He is a placid man who rarely raises his voice.

   Their baby is placid and sleeps through most noise.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Of water, a place, or a scene, calm and still, with little movement or disturbance.

   Grammar: Often placed before the noun it describes: a placid lake.

   Patterns

   • placid waters

   We rowed across the placid lake at sunrise.

   The village had a placid, unhurried atmosphere.

   The placid surface of the pond reflected the trees.

Word forms

Common combinations

placid lake

A placid lake lay below the hotel.

placid temperament

The breed is known for its placid temperament.

placid smile

She gave a placid smile and carried on knitting.

placid waters

The boat drifted over placid waters.

remain placid

He remained placid even when the meeting turned heated.

Synonyms and how they differ

calm

Calm is the general everyday word, while placid suggests an even, almost unshakeable temperament or stillness.

serene

Serene adds a feeling of peaceful beauty, whereas placid can sound plainer or even a little dull.

docile

Docile describes someone easy to control or train, so it adds obedience that placid does not.

tranquil

Tranquil describes peaceful places more than people, and it feels more pleasant than placid.

Opposites

Word family

placidly adverb

in a calm, undisturbed way

placidity noun

the quality of being calm

placidness noun

calmness, a less common noun form

Commonly confused: placid or plaid? placid or placebo?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “placid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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