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buoyant

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Having or marked by buoyancy.
  • adjective Lighthearted; gay.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having the quality of rising or floating in a fluid; floating; relatively light; that will not sink.
  • Bearing up, as a fluid; sustaining another body by reason of greater specific gravity.
  • Figuratively, cheerful; hopeful; not easily depressed.
  • Causing buoyancy of mind; cheering; invigorating.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having the quality of rising or floating in a fluid; tending to rise or float.
  • adjective Bearing up, as a fluid; sustaining another body by being specifically heavier.
  • adjective Light-hearted; vivacious; cheerful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective having buoyancy; able to float
  • adjective lighthearted and lively

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective characterized by liveliness and lightheartedness
  • adjective tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Spanish boyante, present participle of boyar, to refloat a boat, from boya, buoy, from Old French boue; see buoy.]

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Examples

  • Again, I don't want to use the term buoyant as I talked about that last quarter, but we certainly are encouraged.

    Automatic Data Processing CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha 2011

  • By using a more Nordic looking center table along with plenty of print all around on fabric, the home exudes a certain buoyant charm and beauty.

    Modern Home in Fitzroy, Melbourne 2009

  • Five hundred and seventy years later Frankfurt-am-Main, on October 5, 2010, found publishers from across the globe "in buoyant mood," according to London's Guardian newspaper last week -- having banished 2009's "mood of austerity," and busy toasting Alfred Knopf's advance of $2.5 million to a second-time Indian novelist Kiran Desai.

    Nigel Hamilton: Apocalypse in Print Nigel Hamilton 2010

  • Five hundred and seventy years later Frankfurt-am-Main, on October 5, 2010, found publishers from across the globe "in buoyant mood," according to London's Guardian newspaper last week -- having banished 2009's "mood of austerity," and busy toasting Alfred Knopf's advance of $2.5 million to a second-time Indian novelist Kiran Desai.

    Nigel Hamilton: Apocalypse in Print Nigel Hamilton 2010

  • QUIST-ARCTON: Nevertheless, expectations remain buoyant, as Ghana prepares to start pumping oil.

    With Oil Set To Flow, Ghana Ponders The Future 2010

  • Five hundred and seventy years later Frankfurt-am-Main, on October 5, 2010, found publishers from across the globe "in buoyant mood," according to London's Guardian newspaper last week -- having banished 2009's "mood of austerity," and busy toasting Alfred Knopf's advance of $2.5 million to a second-time Indian novelist Kiran Desai.

    Nigel Hamilton: Apocalypse in Print Nigel Hamilton 2010

  • QUIST-ARCTON: Nevertheless, expectations remain buoyant, as Ghana prepares to start pumping oil.

    With Oil Set To Flow, Ghana Ponders The Future 2010

  • Being buoyant is fine, but it shouldn't mean school science courses veer toward Christian doctrine.

    Plastic Jesus M-mv 2005

  • The long-term buoyant nature of demand for coal from India, China, Japan and Korea is an established reality that our joint venture will serve.

    unknown title 2011

  • It is the temperament eternally boyish and buoyant, which is on the side of sweetness and light.

    The Painter of "Diana of the Tides" 1910

Comments

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  • Telofy commented on the word buoyant

    I'm having a problem deciding which pronunciation I like better, /ˈbɔɪənt/ or /ˈbujənt/.

    Does anyone have a strong opinion about that they'd like to share?

    Thanks.

    A link.

    May 15, 2009

  • bilby commented on the word buoyant

    For me buoy is identical to boy - indeed, so is bhoy - and buoyant follows from that. I don't have a strong opinion, it's just how things are around here.

    May 15, 2009

  • rolig commented on the word buoyant

    I don't believe I've ever heard anything other than /ˈbɔɪənt/ (I grew up in the US). My only strong opinion is that one shouldn't pronounce this as spelled, with three syllables: /bu'ɔɪjənt/.

    May 15, 2009

  • Telofy commented on the word buoyant

    OK, thanks for your opinions. :-)

    May 16, 2009