pliant

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈplaɪənt/ UK /ˈplaɪənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
bending readily; supple or easily influenced

The new recruits were pliant and eager to follow every order.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · bending readily; supple or... supple flexible pliable limber yielding malleable tractable adaptable

Opposites

rigid stiff inflexible stubborn unyielding

Word family

Forms pliancy

Derived forms pliantlypliancypliantness

Related forms pliable ply applypliers

Etymology

From Old French pliant ('bending'), present participle of plier ('to bend, fold'), from Latin plicare ('to fold').

pliant Old French plicare Latin *plek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# pliant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈplaɪənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈplaɪənt/

## Meanings
1. bending readily; supple or easily influenced

## Examples
- The new recruits were pliant and eager to follow every order.

## Synonyms
- supple
- flexible
- pliable
- limber
- yielding
- malleable
- tractable
- adaptable

## Antonyms
- rigid
- stiff
- inflexible
- stubborn
- unyielding

## Derived Forms
- pliantly
- pliancy
- pliantness

## Related Forms
- pliable
- ply
- apply
- pliers

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pliant
- Root: plicare
- Root: *plek-

## Etymology
From Old French pliant ('bending'), present participle of plier ('to bend, fold'), from Latin plicare ('to fold').

## AI Etymology
Pliant comes from Old French pliant ('bending'), present participle of plier ('to bend, fold'), from Latin plicare ('to fold'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "bending readily; supple or easily influenced", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old French pliant, Latin plicare, and Proto-Indo-European *plek-. Derivative forms include pliantly, pliancy, pliantness; related words include pliable, ply, apply, pliers.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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pliant

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