Standard Lemma guide

suppleness

noun · 4 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The quality of being supple; litheness, flexibility, pliability, manageability.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

adaptability of mind or character

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was valued for his reliability and pliability
  • he increased the leanness and suppleness of the organization

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pliability, pliancy, pliantness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: adaptability

3

noun

Meaning 3

the gracefulness of a person or animal that is flexible and supple

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lissomeness, litheness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gracefulness

4

noun

Meaning 4

the property of being pliant and flexible

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pliancy, pliantness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bendability, pliability

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English supple Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English suppleness From supple + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: soepelheid — the quality of being supple
  • Dutch: lenigheid — the quality of being supple
  • Finnish: notkeus — the quality of being supple
  • French: souplesse — the quality of being supple
  • Middle French: soupplesse — the quality of being supple
  • Georgian: მოქნილობა (mokniloba) — the quality of being supple
  • German: Geschmeidigkeit — the quality of being supple
  • German: Flexibilität — the quality of being supple
  • Irish: aclaíocht — the quality of being supple
  • Irish: leabhaireacht — the quality of being supple
  • Irish: lúfaireacht — the quality of being supple
  • Irish: solúbthacht — the quality of being supple
  • Irish: umhlóid — the quality of being supple
  • Italian: flessuosità — the quality of being supple
  • Latin: mollitia — the quality of being supple
  • Latin: mollitūdō — the quality of being supple
  • Latin: mollitiēs — the quality of being supple
  • Manx: lhoobid — the quality of being supple
  • Norwegian Bokmål: smidighet — the quality of being supple
  • Polish: gibkość — the quality of being supple
  • Polish: elastyczność — the quality of being supple
  • Serbo-Croatian: савѝтљиво̄ст — the quality of being supple
  • Serbo-Croatian: savìtljivōst — the quality of being supple
  • Swedish: smidighet — the quality of being supple