Welcome to another weird and wonderful episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Have you ever noticed that there are some words in the English language that only seem to be used in the negative? Today we'll embark on a series of words of this type, starting with the Word of the Week:
in·sip·id
Pronunciation: \in-ˈsi-pəd\
Function: adjective
Etymology: French & Late Latin; French insipide, from Late Latin insipidus, from Latin in- + sapidus savory, from sapere to taste — more at sage
Date: 1609
1 : lacking taste or savor : tasteless
2 : lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge : dull, flat
-- "insipid." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.
Merriam-Webster Online. 6 May 2010
But have you ever heard anyone use the word:
Sipid: adjective
1. having a pleasing taste or flavor.
2. of agreeably distinctive character.
-- sipid. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sipid (accessed: May 06, 2010).
Example: John complained that the minestrone soup served in the staff lunchroom was insipid. Sue, however, claimed that the minestrone was sipid to anyone whose taste buds were not burned out by eating too many jalapeno peppers.
-- sipid. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sipid (accessed: May 06, 2010).
Example: John complained that the minestrone soup served in the staff lunchroom was insipid. Sue, however, claimed that the minestrone was sipid to anyone whose taste buds were not burned out by eating too many jalapeno peppers.
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