stagnant

[ stag-nuhnt ]
See synonyms for stagnant on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not flowing or running, as water, air, etc.

  2. stale or foul from standing, as a pool of water.

  1. characterized by lack of development, advancement, or progressive movement: a stagnant economy.

  2. inactive, sluggish, or dull.

Origin of stagnant

1
First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin stāgnant-, stem of stāgnāns “forming a pool,” present participle of stāgnāre “to form a pool of standing water, be inundated”; see stagnate

Other words for stagnant

Other words from stagnant

  • stag·nan·cy, stagnance, noun
  • stag·nant·ly, adverb
  • un·stag·nant, adjective
  • un·stag·nant·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for stagnant

stagnant

/ (ˈstæɡnənt) /


adjective
  1. (of water, etc) standing still; without flow or current

  2. brackish and foul from standing still

  1. stale, sluggish, or dull from inaction

  2. not growing or developing; static

Origin of stagnant

1
C17: from Latin stagnāns, from stagnāre to be stagnant, from stagnum a pool

Derived forms of stagnant

  • stagnancy or stagnance, noun
  • stagnantly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012