Tepid
'tepɪd
Definitions
2 meaningsModerately warm; lukewarm; not hot but not cold.
'tepɪd
Slightly warm; lukewarm.
The bathwater was tepid, so I added some more hot water.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're taking a bath, and the water is warm but not quite hot enough to make you feel super cozy. That's tepid! It's also like the water in a swimming pool on a warm day—nice, but not really hot or cold.
👶 For kids: Not hot, not cold, just a little bit warm.
More Examples
He drank the tepid coffee slowly.
The reaction to his proposal was tepid, with little enthusiasm.
How It's Used
"The tea was tepid after sitting on the counter for an hour."
"Use tepid water to activate the yeast."
Characterized by a lack of enthusiasm or warmth; apathetic or indifferent.
'tepɪd
Showing little enthusiasm; apathetic.
The audience's applause was tepid.
💡 Simply: Imagine you ask your friend if they want to go to a party. If they say, 'Meh, maybe,' that's a tepid response. It means they're not super excited or thrilled about it.
👶 For kids: Not really excited or interested.
More Examples
She received a tepid welcome from her new colleagues.
The company's sales figures for the quarter were tepid.
How It's Used
"The public response to the new policy was tepid at best."
"The investors showed only a tepid interest in the new venture."
Synonyms & Antonyms
From Latin *tepidus* meaning 'lukewarm', related to *tepere* 'to be warm'.
The word 'tepid' has been used in English since the 15th century, often in a literal sense to describe the temperature of liquids.
Memory tip
Think of the tea—not hot enough to burn you, not cold enough to be refreshing.
Word Origin
"lukewarm"