INSIPIDITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does insipidity mean? 

• INSIPIDITY (noun)
  The noun INSIPIDITY has 2 senses:

1. extreme dullness; lacking spirit or interest

2. lacking any distinctive or interesting taste property

  Familiarity information: INSIPIDITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INSIPIDITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Extreme dullness; lacking spirit or interest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

boringness; dreariness; insipidity; insipidness

Hypernyms ("insipidity" is a kind of...):

dullness (the quality of lacking interestingness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lacking any distinctive or interesting taste property

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

blandness; insipidity; insipidness

Hypernyms ("insipidity" is a kind of...):

unappetisingness; unappetizingness (the property of spoiling the appetite)

Derivation:

insipid (lacking taste or flavor or tang)

 Context examples 

The insipidity, and yet the noise—the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all those people!

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Yates, indeed, exclaimed against his tameness and insipidity; and the day came at last, when Mr. Rushworth turned to her with a black look, and said, Do you think there is anything so very fine in all this?

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

There was nothing in any of the party which could recommend them as companions to the Dashwoods; but the cold insipidity of Lady Middleton was so particularly repulsive, that in comparison of it the gravity of Colonel Brandon, and even the boisterous mirth of Sir John and his mother-in-law was interesting.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Her complexion was sallow; and her features small, without beauty, and naturally without expression; but a lucky contraction of the brow had rescued her countenance from the disgrace of insipidity, by giving it the strong characters of pride and ill nature.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Her insipidity was invariable, for even her spirits were always the same; and though she did not oppose the parties arranged by her husband, provided every thing were conducted in style and her two eldest children attended her, she never appeared to receive more enjoyment from them than she might have experienced in sitting at home;—and so little did her presence add to the pleasure of the others, by any share in their conversation, that they were sometimes only reminded of her being amongst them by her solicitude about her troublesome boys.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

The insipidity of the meeting was exactly such as Elinor had expected; it produced not one novelty of thought or expression, and nothing could be less interesting than the whole of their discourse both in the dining parlour and drawing room: to the latter, the children accompanied them, and while they remained there, she was too well convinced of the impossibility of engaging Lucy's attention to attempt it.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)