Do you know the definition of rigid? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word rigid, including its definition, usage, word origin, example sentences, and more!
-
Kevin
-
October 17, 2021
-
Common Questions
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
What does the word rigid mean?
According to Definitions and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the dictionary definition of the word rigid is an adjective that describes things with little bend or flexibility. Something that is rigid is stiff and unbending. This could describe something physical like a helicopter rotor, stiff lenses or an airship, or it could describe something more figurative like circumstances, a lack of compromise, or infinite values. The pronunciation of rigid is and the word rigid is two syllables – rig-id. Different suffixes like ness and ly can be added to the end of the word rigid to form related words including rigidly (adv.) Try using this word of the day in a sentence today!
Many different things can be considered rigid, including a rigid disciplinarian, rigid plastics like those that could make a stiff unyielding frame or some other unyielding structure or external frame, a rigid strip of metal, a rigid piece of plastic in a supporting structure, a rigid examination, the rigid rules of social behavior, a rigid schedule, rigid specifications, rigid stiff neck muscles, a rigid inflexible law, a rigid poker face, the rigid glassy stare or hollow look of a palace guardsman with a bearded face, rigid stiff hair on a horse, rigid discipline, a rigid sentence, rigid criticism that causes tension, a rigid father, rigid parts of a tent, and more. This word is also used in mechanics to describe something that has a fixed distance between a pair of points, as well as infinite values for its shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Young’s modulus.
Many different languages also have words that mean rigid. As you look at the below list of translations of rigid provided by Word Sense, you may notice that some of these words look similar to the word rigid. These are often formed when two words have the same root or language of origin and are called cognates.
- Czech: tuhý
- Scottish Gaelic: rag
- Finnish: jäykkä, kankea
- Latvian: stings, stingrs, stīvs
- Norman: rigide
- Slovene: tog
- Asturian: ríxidu
- Russian: жёсткий, неги́бкий
- Hungarian: merev
- Lower Sorbian: kšuty
- Mandarin: 硬性 (yìngxìng), 僵硬 (jiāngyìng), 硬 (yìng)
- Catalan: rígid
- Romanian: rigid, bățos, țeapăn
- German: steif, starr
- French: rigide
- Italian: rigido
- Portuguese: rígido
- Japanese: 硬い
- Galician: ríxido
- Dutch: stijf, stroef, rigide, star
- Hebrew: נוקשה
- Turkish: katı, sert
- Norwegian: rigid, stiv
What are synonyms and antonyms of rigid?
There are severely different words that a person can use in place of the word rigid. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as a given word or phrase. Synonyms are useful to know if you are trying to expand your vocabulary or avoid repeating yourself. No one wants to listen to or read something that uses the same word over and over again. This list of synonyms for rigid is provided by Power Thesaurus.
- resist
- proof
- hard and fast
- immovable
- inflexible
- stern
- uncompromising
- dirigible
- taut
- single-minded
- defensive
- stabile
- stout
- demanding
- tenacious
- unchangeable
- tight
- resistant
- resolved
- adamant
- inexorable
- stable
- ironclad
- firm
- unchanging
- fast
- insistent
- invariable
- durable
- intolerant
- unfluctuating
- quiescent
- tough
- hard-nosed
- consistent
- intransigent
- stringent
- prim
- unbending
- steely
- hidebound
- immune
- stubborn
- implacable
- strong
- unbendable
- hanging tough
- wooden
- conservative
- harsh
- hard
- solid
- sustained
- obdurate
- unalterable
- settled
- fixed
- lasting
- constant
- unrelenting
- puritanical
- persistent
- stationary
- unyielding
- inelastic
- perpetual
- formal
- permanent
- adamantine
- strait-laced
- substantial
- strict
- iron
- unshakable
- severe
- sound
- authoritarian
- immutable
- resolute
- set in stone
- relentless
- unwavering
- robust
- exacting
- staying
- tense
- stiff
- static
- steadfast
- die-hard
- steady
- refractory
- austere
- resilient
- rigorous
- bigoted
- determined
- obstinate
- enduring
- set
- flinty
There are also numerous different words that have the opposite meaning of the word rigid. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another great way to expand your vocabulary. Once you know which words are the opposite of certain words, remembering their definitions is easy. These antonyms of rigid are also provided by Power Thesaurus.
- affable
- malleable
- faineant
- bone idle
- graceful
- pliant
- adaptable
- dispassionate
- slack
- derelict
- hesitating
- bendy
- iffy
- resilient
- bone-idle
- compliant
- liberal
- nontraditional
- haphazard
- biased
- bendable
- agile enough
- idle
- broad-minded
- false
- careless
- defective
- springy
- plastic
- apathetic
- erroneous
- agile
- great
- limber
- disinterested
- erratic
- casual
- active
- fallacious
- limp
- dodgy
- hassle free
- pliable
- episodical
- hanging
- dicey
- face down
- tolerant
- laid-back
- complacent
- fleet
- droopy
- content
- soft
- undemanding
- sagging
- at large
- abate
- easy
- nimble
- breakable
- easygoing
- as tough as old boots
- drooping
- clairvoyant
- feeble-minded
- flabby
- accepting
- amenable
- aperiodic
- easily moulded
- good-for-nothing
- fainéant
- episodic
- flaccid
- flawed
- elastic
- educable
- illogical
- half-hearted
- devil may care
- disregardful
- heedless
- open-minded
- discontinuous
- irregular
- faulty
- having no determination
- frail
- choppy
- fickle
- slipshod
- floppy
- flexile
- dispirited
- flexible
- happy-go-lucky
- ambitionless
- stretchy
What is the origin of the word rigid?
According to Etymonline, the word rigid has been used since the Middle English rigide, a word which comes from the Latin rigēre/rigere, from the Latin rigidus. These use the suffixes ēre and idus, and can be compared to the Latin regere and rectus which come from reig in Indo-European roots.
Overall, the word rigid means inflexible or unbending. This word is an adjective that can be used in many different ways in the English language. This word can be used both literally and figuratively. Try using this new word of the day in a sentence today! Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions and add them to your vocabulary.
Sources:
