arid

Everyday

1. Arid land or weather is very dry, with very little rain, so few plants can grow. tree →
2. (figurative) Something arid can be dull and boring, with no life or interest in it. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and science lessons, arid areas like deserts get very little rain, and plants and animals there have special ways to save water, like cacti storing water and camels going long without drinking. Large parts of Australia are arid. Phrases: «arid region», «arid climate», «semi-arid».

Examples

• The camel is well suited to arid deserts. tree →
• Much of central Australia is hot and arid. tree →
• Arid land is hard to farm without watering it. tree →
• Cactuses grow well in arid climates. tree →
• The arid soil cracked in the heat. tree →
• The lecture was so arid that half the class fell asleep. tree →
• A semi-arid area gets a little more rain than a desert. tree →
• From the soft rain and green turf of Gaeldom, we seek the garish sun and arid soil of the Hindoo. tree →

Note

Adjective, usually «more arid». Noun: aridity. Opposite: wet, humid, damp. Pronounced «AR-id» (rhymes with «parrot» in many accents, roughly). «Arid» is about lack of water, not heat; a cold place can also be arid, like Antarctica.