Arid — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms
Meaning & Definition of Arid
Arid (adjective)
- excessively dry; specifically, having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture
- lacking in interest and life, jejune
Word Forms of Arid
Origin & Etymology of Arid
borrowed from French & Latin; French aride, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin āridus, ārdus "dry, waterless, withered, austere (of style)," derivative, with the adjective suffix -idus, of ārēre "to be dry, parched, withered," going back to Indo-European *h2eh1s-eh1-, stative derivative of a verbal base *h2eh1s- "make dry with heat," whence also Tocharian A asatär "(it) dries up," Tocharian B osotär; also from the same base a root noun *h2eh1s-, whence Hittite ḫāšš- "ashes, dust," from which as thematic derivatives Sanskrit ā́saḥ "ashes, dust," and (as a collective or noun of appurtenance?) *h2eh1s-eh2-, whence Latin āra "altar," Oscan aasaí (locative), Hittite ḫāššā- "hearth," Old High German essa, esse "forge" (from *asjō-), Old Swedish æsia, æssia "smith's fire," Old Icelandic esja "soapstone (used in hearths)" (both from *asjōn-)
First known use: 1652
Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Arid
- CEFR level: C2 English Vocabulary — Page 5
- Topics: Advanced GRE / C2
Words & Phrases Containing Arid
Frequently Asked Questions about Arid
What does "Arid" mean?
"Arid" means excessively dry; specifically, having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture. As an adjective, it is defined as: excessively dry; specifically, having insufficient rainfall to support agriculture. It has 2 distinct senses.
Is "Arid" a noun, verb, or adjective?
"Arid" is an adjective.
Is "Arid" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?
As a C2-level word, "Arid" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.
How do you pronounce "Arid"?
"Arid" is pronounced /ˈa-rəd/ and divided into syllables as ar·id.
What is the origin of the word "Arid"?
"Arid" comes from borrowed from French & Latin; French aride, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin āridus, ārdus "dry, waterless, withered, austere (of style)," derivative, with the adjective suffix -idus, of ārēre "to be dry, parched, withered," going back to Indo-European *h2eh1s-eh1-, stative derivative of a verbal base *h2eh1s- "make dry with heat," whence also Tocharian A asatär "(it) dries up," Tocharian B osotär; also from the same base a root noun *h2eh1s-, whence Hittite ḫāšš- "ashes, dust," from which as thematic derivatives Sanskrit ā́saḥ "ashes, dust," and (as a collective or noun of appurtenance?) *h2eh1s-eh2-, whence Latin āra "altar," Oscan aasaí (locative), Hittite ḫāššā- "hearth," Old High German essa, esse "forge" (from *asjō-), Old Swedish æsia, æssia "smith's fire," Old Icelandic esja "soapstone (used in hearths)" (both from *asjōn-). First known use: 1652.
What CEFR level is "Arid"?
"Arid" is a C2-level word in SophDict's CEFR vocabulary lists, which group English words from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient).
What topics is "Arid" used in?
"Arid" is commonly used in topics such as Advanced GRE / C2.
What words are derived from "Arid"?
Words derived from "Arid" include aridity (noun) and aridness (noun).