"pliant" meaning in English

See pliant in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈplaɪənt/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-pliant.wav Forms: more pliant [comparative], most pliant [superlative]
Rhymes: -aɪənt Etymology: From Middle English pliaunt, from Old French ploiant, present participle of ploiier (“to fold”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*pleḱ-}}, {{inh|en|enm|pliaunt}} Middle English pliaunt, {{der|en|fro|ploiant}} Old French ploiant Head templates: {{en-adj}} pliant (comparative more pliant, superlative most pliant)
  1. Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking. Synonyms: flexible, pliable, lithe, limber, plastic Translations (Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking): гъвкав (gǎvkav) (Bulgarian), ohebný (Czech), poddajný (Czech), pružný (Czech), flexilis (Latin), tāngehe (Maori), пода́тливый (podátlivyj) (Russian), мя́гкий (mjáxkij) (Russian), lùbach (Scottish Gaelic), flexible (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-pliant-en-adj-nuSTaKF1 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 3 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 76 24 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 80 20 Disambiguation of Pages with 3 entries: 63 11 12 10 5 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 72 8 9 7 4 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 80 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 80 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 90 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 88 12 Disambiguation of 'Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking': 98 2
  2. (figuratively) Easily influenced; tractable. Tags: figuratively Categories (topical): Personality Translations (Easily influenced for good or evil): отстъпчив (otstǎpčiv) (Bulgarian), податлив (podatliv) (Bulgarian), poddajný (Czech), tvárný (Czech), flexilis (Latin), уступчивый (ustupčivyj) (Russian), сгово́рчивый (sgovórčivyj) (Russian), manejable (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-pliant-en-adj-rhYJ2heq Disambiguation of Personality: 32 68 Disambiguation of 'Easily influenced for good or evil': 3 97
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: pliantness
{
  "derived": [
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      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "pliantness"
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        "2": "fro",
        "3": "ploiant"
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      "expansion": "Old French ploiant",
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  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pliaunt, from Old French ploiant, present participle of ploiier (“to fold”).",
  "forms": [
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      "form": "more pliant",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
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    },
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      "form": "most pliant",
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        "superlative"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "a pliant thread",
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        {
          "text": "pliant wax",
          "type": "example"
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        {
          "ref": "1917 April, “The Warblers of North America”, in The National Geographic Magazine:",
          "text": "Whether in its northern or southern home, the black-throated blue warbler builds its nest of bark, roots, and other pliant material, loose and rather bulky, in a variety of saplings, bushes, and weeds, but always a few inches or a few feet from the ground.",
          "type": "quote"
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      ],
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        "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking."
      ],
      "id": "en-pliant-en-adj-nuSTaKF1",
      "links": [
        [
          "plying",
          "plying"
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      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "flexible"
        },
        {
          "word": "pliable"
        },
        {
          "word": "lithe"
        },
        {
          "word": "limber"
        },
        {
          "word": "plastic"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "gǎvkav",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "гъвкав"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "ohebný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "poddajný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "pružný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "flexilis"
        },
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          "_dis1": "98 2",
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          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "tāngehe"
        },
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          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podátlivyj",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "пода́тливый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "mjáxkij",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "мя́гкий"
        },
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          "_dis1": "98 2",
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          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "lùbach"
        },
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          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
          "word": "flexible"
        }
      ]
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          "langcode": "en",
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          "ref": "1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):",
          "text": "I must haue wanton Poets, pleasant wits,\nMusitians, that with touching of a string\nMay draw the pliant king which way I please:",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 11, recto:",
          "text": "[A]nd it is without all controuerſie, that learning doth make the minds of men gentle, generous, maniable, and pliant to gouernment; whereas Ignorance makes them churlish[,] thwart, and mutinous; […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1839, William Gilmore Simms, “The Brooklet”, in Southern Passages and Pictures, New York: George Adlard, page 2:",
          "text": "Yet there was pleasant sadness that became\nMeetly the gentle heart and pliant sense,\nIn that same idlesse—gazing on that brook",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1988, A. J. Langguth, Patriots:",
          "text": "[The king] had a pliant prime minister and a general who was telling him what he wanted to hear.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 November 4, Madhumita Murgia, Anna Gross, Cristina Criddle, “Summit exposes tensions over AI development despite emollient Chinese tone”, in FT Weekend, page 12:",
          "text": "The person said one of the reasons the Chinese had been so pliant in development of a joint position on AI governance was that “playing nice” and acting as a “responsible partner” could help foster conversations about relaxation of US trade barriers later down the line.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Easily influenced; tractable."
      ],
      "id": "en-pliant-en-adj-rhYJ2heq",
      "links": [
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          "influenced",
          "influence#Verb"
        ],
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          "tractable",
          "tractable"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) Easily influenced; tractable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "otstǎpčiv",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "отстъпчив"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "podatliv",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "податлив"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "poddajný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "tvárný"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "flexilis"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ustupčivyj",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "уступчивый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sgovórčivyj",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "сгово́рчивый"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 97",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
          "word": "manejable"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
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      "ipa": "/ˈplaɪənt/"
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      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-pliant.wav",
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old French",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pleḱ-",
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    "Entries with translation boxes",
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    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪənt",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪənt/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:Personality"
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  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "pliantness"
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  "etymology_templates": [
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  "etymology_text": "From Middle English pliaunt, from Old French ploiant, present participle of ploiier (“to fold”).",
  "forms": [
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      "form": "more pliant",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
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      "form": "most pliant",
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        {
          "text": "a pliant thread",
          "type": "example"
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        {
          "text": "pliant wax",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1917 April, “The Warblers of North America”, in The National Geographic Magazine:",
          "text": "Whether in its northern or southern home, the black-throated blue warbler builds its nest of bark, roots, and other pliant material, loose and rather bulky, in a variety of saplings, bushes, and weeds, but always a few inches or a few feet from the ground.",
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          "word": "flexible"
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        },
        {
          "word": "lithe"
        },
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          "word": "limber"
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          "word": "plastic"
        }
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          "ref": "1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):",
          "text": "I must haue wanton Poets, pleasant wits,\nMusitians, that with touching of a string\nMay draw the pliant king which way I please:",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 11, recto:",
          "text": "[A]nd it is without all controuerſie, that learning doth make the minds of men gentle, generous, maniable, and pliant to gouernment; whereas Ignorance makes them churlish[,] thwart, and mutinous; […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1839, William Gilmore Simms, “The Brooklet”, in Southern Passages and Pictures, New York: George Adlard, page 2:",
          "text": "Yet there was pleasant sadness that became\nMeetly the gentle heart and pliant sense,\nIn that same idlesse—gazing on that brook",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1988, A. J. Langguth, Patriots:",
          "text": "[The king] had a pliant prime minister and a general who was telling him what he wanted to hear.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 November 4, Madhumita Murgia, Anna Gross, Cristina Criddle, “Summit exposes tensions over AI development despite emollient Chinese tone”, in FT Weekend, page 12:",
          "text": "The person said one of the reasons the Chinese had been so pliant in development of a joint position on AI governance was that “playing nice” and acting as a “responsible partner” could help foster conversations about relaxation of US trade barriers later down the line.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Easily influenced; tractable."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "influence#Verb"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) Easily influenced; tractable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
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  "sounds": [
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "gǎvkav",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "гъвкав"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "ohebný"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "poddajný"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "pružný"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "flexilis"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "tāngehe"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podátlivyj",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "пода́тливый"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "mjáxkij",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "мя́гкий"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "lùbach"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking",
      "word": "flexible"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "otstǎpčiv",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "отстъпчив"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "podatliv",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "податлив"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "poddajný"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "tvárný"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "flexilis"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ustupčivyj",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "уступчивый"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sgovórčivyj",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "сгово́рчивый"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "Easily influenced for good or evil",
      "word": "manejable"
    }
  ],
  "word": "pliant"
}

Download raw JSONL data for pliant meaning in English (7.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.