NYT Dictionary

LIQUID

/ˈlɪk.wɪd/
NounAdjectiveLIQ-uidliq-uid · 2 syllablesGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2023

Meaning

A substance that is flowing, and keeping no shape, such as water; a substance of which the molecules, while not tending to separate from one another like those of a gas, readily change their relative position, and which therefore retains no definite shape, except that determined by the containing receptacle; an inelastic fluid.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wleykʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *wlikʷéh₁yeti Proto-Italic *(w)likʷēō Latin liqueō Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Proto-Italic *-iðos Latin -idus Latin liquidusbor. Old French liquidebor. Middle English liquide English liquid From Middle English liquide, from Old French liquide, from Latin liquidus (“fluid, liquid, moist”), from liqueō (“to be liquid, be fluid”). Doublet of liquidus. As a term for a consonant, it comes from Latin liquida (cōnsōnāns), a calque of Ancient Greek ὑγρὸν (σύμφωνον) (hugròn (súmphōnon), “liquid consonant”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

flowyliquidfluidfluxiveliquidnessliquidityswimminglimpidmeltedliquified

Antonyms

gassolidgaseousilliquid

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:

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