Crossword Dictionary
florid
aureate, florid, flamboyant - a
elaborately or excessively ornamented; "flamboyant handwriting"; "the senator's florid speech"
synonyms
bedizened, fussy, gingerbread, gingerbreaded, gingerbre
in a sentence
a florid, gilded mirror that took up most of the wall
gave a florid speech in honor of the queen's visit
This is a delight, full of florid language, slow-building tension, groan-inducing puns, loads of food descriptions, and a fun and fleshed-out supporting cast.
etymology
1640s, "strikingly beautiful," from French floride "flourishing," from Latin floridus "flowery, in bloom," from flos "flower" (from PIE root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom"). Sense of "ruddy" is first recorded 1640s. Meaning "highly decorated, profusely adorned (as with flowers)" is from 1650s. Related: Floridly.