Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: rigidus, from rigere 'to be stiff'

rigid

 adjective
     
ri‧gid
1 rigid methods, systems etc are very strict and difficult to change [≠ flexible]:
rigid and authoritarian methods of education
2 someone who behaves in a rigid way is very unwilling to change their ideas or behaviour [≠ flexible]:
rigid adherence to old-fashioned ideas
She maintained rigid control over her emotional and sexual life.
3 stiff and not moving or bending [≠ flexible]:
rigid plastic
4 used to describe someone who cannot move, especially because they are very frightened, shocked, or angry
rigid with
I heard a noise and woke up rigid with terror.
—rigidly adverb:
rigidly opposed to all new ideas
—rigidity noun [uncountable]
WORD FOCUS: hard WORD FOCUS: hard
hard and not bending: solid, firm, stiff, rigid
meat that is too hard: tough
skin that is old and hard: leathery, calloused
hard and easily broken: brittle

➔ See also hard
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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