ENGLISH
REFERENCE

arid

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈæɹəd// UK //ˈæɹɪd// arid

adj. having very little rain or water. You use this word to describe dry places like deserts.

adj. characterized by a severe lack of moisture, typically resulting in sparse vegetation and harsh conditions.


SIMPLE

The desert is hot and arid.

CONTEXTUAL

Farmers in the arid region rely on deep wells for their crops.

COMPLEX

The arid landscape stretched endlessly under the harsh sun, offering no shade or relief from the relentless heat.

Synonyms
Origin

From French aride or directly from Latin āridus (“dry, arid, parched”), compare its synonymous contracted form ardus. Originally from the verb āreo (“I am dry, I am parched”), akin to ārdeō (“I am on fire, I burn”).

© 2026 English Reference