Torpid
[TOR-pid]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 17th century
1.
Mentally or physically inactive; lethargic.
2.
(Of an animal) Dormant, especially during hibernation.
Examples of Torpid in a sentence
"After working the street fair all weekend, Lali spent Monday in a state of torpid inertia."
"The stress of closing up the restaurant after a busy Friday night left me torpid."
About Torpid
“Torpid” is based on the Latin “torpidus,” meaning “benumbed.”
Did you Know?
A “torpid” state is common and easy to identify: It’s when we get nothing done physically or mentally, either because we choose not to, or because we’re just too tired to do any more. “Torpid” can also describe dormant animals in hibernation. So it’s strange to note that the term is closely linked to the word “torpedo,” albeit through a circuitous route. The Latin root “torpere” means “be numb or sluggish,” and the word “torpedo” was given as a nickname to the electric ray fish, thanks to the numbness caused by its stings. It is after these fish, and the torpid state they can cause, that the underwater missile known as the “torpedo” was named in the late 18th century.
