able to speak or write smoothly, easily, or readily: a fluent speaker; fluent in six languages.
3.
easy; graceful: fluent motion; fluent curves.
4.
flowing, as a stream.
5.
capable of flowing; fluid, as liquids or gases.
6.
easily changed or adapted; pliant.
[Origin: 1580–90; < L fluent- (s. of fluéns) flowing, prp. of fluere; see -ent]
—Related forms
flu·en·cy, flu·ent·ness, noun
flu·ent·ly, adverb
—Synonyms 1, 2.Fluent,glib,voluble may refer to a flow of words. Fluent suggests the easy and ready flow of an accomplished speaker and is usually a term of commendation: a fluent and interesting speech. Glib implies an excessive fluency divorced from sincerity or profundity; it often suggests talking smoothly and hurriedly to cover up or deceive, not giving the hearer a chance to stop and think; it may also imply a plausible, prepared, and well-rehearsed lie: He had a glib answer for everything. Voluble implies the overcopious and often rapid flow of words characteristic of a person who loves to talk: She overwhelmed him with her voluble answer. See also eloquent.
1589, from L. fluentem (nom. fluens), prp. of fluere "to flow," from PIE *bhleug- (cf. L. flumen "river;" Gk. phluein "to boil over, bubble up," phlein "to abound"), from *bhleu- "to swell, well up, overthrow," extension of root *bhel- "to blow, swell" (see bole). Used interchangeably with fluid in Elizabethan times.
Con"flu*ent\, a. [L. confluens, -entis, p. pr. of confluere, -fluxum; con- + fluere to flow. See Fluent.]1. Flowing together; meeting in their course; running one into another. These confluent steams make some great river's head. --Blackmore. 2. (Bot.) Blended into one; growing together, so as to obliterate all distinction. 3. (Med.) (a) Running together or uniting, as pimples or pustules. (b) Characterized by having the pustules, etc., run together or unite, so as to cover the surface; as, confluent smallpox. --Dunglison.
Ef"flu*ent\, a. [L. effluens, -entis, p. pr. of effluere to flow out; ex + fluere to flow: cf. F. effluent. See Fluent.] Flowing out; as, effluent beams. --Parnell.