livid

adjective

liv·​id ˈli-vəd How to pronounce livid (audio)
1
: discolored by bruising : black-and-blue
the livid traces of the sharp scourgesAbraham Cowley
2
: ashen, pallid
this cross, thy livid face, thy pierced hands and feetWalt Whitman
3
: reddish
a fan of gladiolas blushed livid under the electric lettersTruman Capote
4
: very angry : enraged
was livid at his son's disobedience
lividness noun

Did you know?

Livid has a colorful history. The Latin adjective lividus means "dull, grayish, or leaden blue." From this came the French livide, which English borrowed as livid. The word can describe flesh discolored by a bruise or an appearance deficient in color. Eventually, it came to be used for the complexion of a person pale with anger (i.e., "a person livid with rage"). From this meaning came two new senses: "reddish," as one is as likely to become red with anger as pale; the other was simply "angry" or "furious."

Examples of livid in a Sentence

the boss was livid when yet another deadline was missed her face was livid with fear
Recent Examples on the Web Although Trump claims not to have heard the joke and his campaign has disavowed it, many Puerto Rican voters, including a healthy crop of public figures, are livid over the slur and the lack of a direct apology from Trump. Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024 Nikki, who is inside Brooke's body, becomes livid — desperate to return to her life as a social media influencer. Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024 His mother is absolutely livid with me for not telling her for five days. Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024 The Union and the Confederacy each engaged in secretive maneuvers, and every time an incident rose to the level of media attention, readers became livid. Longreads, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for livid 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'livid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French livide, from Latin lividus, from livēre to be blue; akin to Welsh lliw color and probably to Russian sliva plum

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of livid was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Livid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/livid. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

livid

adjective
liv·​id ˈliv-əd How to pronounce livid (audio)
1
: discolored by bruising
2
: pale as ashes
3
: very angry
lividly adverb

Medical Definition

livid

adjective
liv·​id ˈliv-əd How to pronounce livid (audio)
: discolored by bruising : black-and-blue

More from Merriam-Webster on livid

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