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GRE vocabulary

florid

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore F words

excessively ornate or elaborate in style

Word origin: From Latin floridus, flowery, from flos, flower.

In a sentence

Florid in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing florid in a sentence.

The novel's florid prose grew tiresome after the first few chapters.

The critic faulted the novel's florid prose, arguing that its ornamental excess buried any real feeling.

Synonyms
Antonyms
plainspareaustere
Usage & nuance

Using “florid” well

Applied to style, florid means excessively ornate or flowery; applied to complexion, it means flushed and ruddy. The GRE almost always tests the stylistic sense, which carries a mildly disapproving tone.

Common questions

Questions about “florid

Florid (adjective) means excessively ornate or elaborate in style
Here is florid used in an example sentence: "The novel's florid prose grew tiresome after the first few chapters." Another example: "The critic faulted the novel's florid prose, arguing that its ornamental excess buried any real feeling."
Common synonyms for florid include ornate, flowery, overwrought.
Antonyms of florid include plain, spare, austere.
Clusters with ornate, flowery, and overwrought, opposed by plain, spare, and austere. Pair it conceptually with grandiloquent and turgid when the passage describes overdone writing.
Yes. Florid is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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