supple

CEFRB2

/ˈsʌpəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Able to bend easily without breaking.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Compliant; yielding to the will of others.

Examples

  • My body is not as supple as it once was.

  • She claimed that yoga could make anyone's body supple.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Lithe and agile when moving and bending.

  2. Pliant, flexible, easy to bend.

  3. Smooth and drinkable.

More examples

In context

  • a supple horse

  • supple fingers

  • supple joints

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The dancer's blank body allowed her to bend and twist into very difficult positions.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English souple, from Old French souple, soupple (“soft, lithe, yielding”), from Latin supplic-, supplex (“suppliant, submissive, kneeling”), of uncertain formation. Either from sub + plicō (“bend”) (compare complex), or from sub + plācō (“placate”). More at sub-, placate.