One of the most interesting things about "sapid" (rarely used these days) is that its opposite is the much more common "insipid". The only other adjective I can think of where a negative prefix changes the vowel is apt/ inept. Perhaps we should start a new thread with examples of this phenomenon.
Well yes, liu_xing "savo(u)r is connected with "sapid" in that they both come from the Latin sapidus (tasty); but sapid was brought into English directly and savour came by way of French. So savour developed its own adjective, savoury and sapid its own noun, sapidity.
Mind you, the stupor/stupid pair have done that too - noun stupidity, adjective stuporous.
"He had mistakenly put the whisky in the freezer and it was a day before it once again achieved liquor." Did "liquor" ever mean "the state of being liquid"? And why not "solo(u)r?"
Which _id adjectives form their noun as _or (sometimes _our in British-English) and which as _idity? And which both, possibly with different meanings? Stupor is a physical condition, stupidity mental. Rigo(u)r (as a mental habit) is generally seen as a good trait; rigidity (in a similar sense) is usually regarded as bad.
Solid, liquid. The third member of the "states of matter" trio should be "vapid", but curiously it's never used literally nowadays, if it ever was. Tepid, rigid, gelid.
Comments by stevebwriter
Stevebwriter commented on the list adjectives-ending-in-id
One of the most interesting things about "sapid" (rarely used these days) is that its opposite is the much more common "insipid". The only other adjective I can think of where a negative prefix changes the vowel is apt/ inept. Perhaps we should start a new thread with examples of this phenomenon.
June 9, 2013
Stevebwriter commented on the list adjectives-ending-in-id
Well yes, liu_xing "savo(u)r is connected with "sapid" in that they both come from the Latin sapidus (tasty); but sapid was brought into English directly and savour came by way of French. So savour developed its own adjective, savoury and sapid its own noun, sapidity.
Mind you, the stupor/stupid pair have done that too - noun stupidity, adjective stuporous.
June 9, 2013
Stevebwriter commented on the list adjectives-ending-in-id
"He had mistakenly put the whisky in the freezer and it was a day before it once again achieved liquor." Did "liquor" ever mean "the state of being liquid"? And why not "solo(u)r?"
June 9, 2013
Stevebwriter commented on the list adjectives-ending-in-id
Which _id adjectives form their noun as _or (sometimes _our in British-English) and which as _idity? And which both, possibly with different meanings? Stupor is a physical condition, stupidity mental. Rigo(u)r (as a mental habit) is generally seen as a good trait; rigidity (in a similar sense) is usually regarded as bad.
June 7, 2013
Stevebwriter commented on the list adjectives-ending-in-id
Solid, liquid. The third member of the "states of matter" trio should be "vapid", but curiously it's never used literally nowadays, if it ever was. Tepid, rigid, gelid.
June 7, 2013