2 entries found for torrid
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Main Entry: torĚrid
Pronunciation: tr-d, tär-
Etymology: from Latin torridus
"dried or burnt by heat, torrid," derived from torrre
"to heat so as to dry up or burn" --related to TORRENT
very hot and usually dry
- torĚridĚly adverbWord History
The Latin verb torrre,
meaning "to heat so as to dry up or burn," gave rise to two quite different English words. They are torrid
The Latin adjective torridus,
meaning "dried or burnt by heat," was formed from torrre.
It became our torrid.
Another Latin adjective, torrens,
meaning "scorching, burning," was also formed from torrre.
It, however, gained a second sense of "flowing with great force and speed, rushing." This second sense led to the use of torrens
as a noun for "a rushing or violent stream." This noun was borrowed into English as torrent.
It came to refer not only to rushing water, but also to any kind of outpouring, such as of words, information, sounds, or feelings.
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