Standard Lemma guide

lurid

adj · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈl(j)ʊə.ɹɪd/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈlɔːɹɪd/
  • General-American: /ˈlʊɹɪd/
  • General-American: /ˈlɝɪd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-Ireland, Scotland: /ˈlʉːɹɪd/
  • Ireland: /ˈluːɹɪd/
  • rhymes with -ʊəɹɪd
  • CMU ARPABET: L UH1 R AH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pruriently detailed and sensationalistic about something shocking or horrifying, especially with regard to violence or sex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The accident was described with lurid detail.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Melodramatic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Ghastly, pale, wan in appearance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Being of a light yellow hue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The lurid lighting of the bar made for a very hazy atmosphere.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Having a brown colour tinged with red.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

shining with an unnatural red glow as of fire seen through smoke

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a lurid sunset
  • lurid flames

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

ghastly pale

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • moonlight gave the statue a lurid luminence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • lurid details of the accident

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shocking

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

horrible in fierceness or savagery

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • lurid crimes
  • a lurid life

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *loiros Latin lūror Latin lūridusbor. English lurid Borrowed from Latin lūridus (“pale yellow, wan”).

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: зловещ (zlovešt) — shocking, horrifying
  • Bulgarian: страшен (strašen) — shocking, horrifying
  • Chinese Mandarin: 骇人听闻 (hàiréntīngwén) — shocking, horrifying
  • Chinese Mandarin: 骇人 (hàirén) — shocking, horrifying
  • Czech: šokující — shocking, horrifying
  • Czech: nechutný — shocking, horrifying
  • Dutch: luguber — shocking, horrifying
  • Finnish: kauhea — shocking, horrifying
  • Finnish: kaamea — shocking, horrifying
  • Finnish: kammottava — shocking, horrifying
  • Finnish: kauhistuttava — shocking, horrifying
  • French: choquant — shocking, horrifying
  • German: widerlich — shocking, horrifying
  • Māori: wetiweti — shocking, horrifying
  • Portuguese: espantoso — shocking, horrifying
  • Russian: стра́шный (strášnyj) — shocking, horrifying
  • Russian: ужа́сный (užásnyj) — shocking, horrifying
  • Spanish: espantoso — shocking, horrifying
  • Spanish: chocante — shocking, horrifying
  • Bulgarian: смъртнобледен (smǎrtnobleden) — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Czech: sinalý — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Czech: smrtelně bledý — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Finnish: kelmeä — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • French: blafard — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • French: livide — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • French: blême — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Hungarian: sápadt — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Italian: livido — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Portuguese: lúrido — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Russian: ме́ртвенно-бле́дный (mértvenno-blédnyj) — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Russian: бле́дный (blédnyj) — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Spanish: pálido — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Spanish: lívido — ghastly, pale or wan in appearance
  • Finnish: kelmeä — being of a light yellow hue
  • French: jaunâtre — being of a light yellow hue
  • German: grell — being of a light yellow hue
  • Portuguese: lúrido — being of a light yellow hue
  • Russian: желтова́тый (želtovátyj) — being of a light yellow hue