adj
tepid
TEH-pihd
adj
1
Lukewarm — neither warm nor cool.
"She washed her hands in tepid water from the tap."
"The soup had gone tepid by the time he sat down to eat."
2
Showing little enthusiasm or passion; half-hearted.
"The critics gave the film a tepid response."
"His tepid applause made it obvious he hadn't enjoyed the show."
How to Use Tepid
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBarely warm — used literally for liquids and figuratively for a lack of enthusiasm.
Common pairings
tepid water
tepid response
tepid reception
Word Forms
more tepid comparative, most tepid superlative
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Etymology
From Latin tepidus, "lukewarm," related to tepere, "to be warm."