vapid

*****************************************************************
Discover the people and events that made history ON THIS DAY. 
Sign up for the free daily newsletter from Britannica.
http://register.britannica.com/mailinglist
*****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for August 28 is:

vapid   \VAP-id\   adjective
     : lacking liveliness, tang, briskness, or force : flat, 
dull 

Example sentence: 
     The movie was billed as a gripping summer blockbuster but 
turned out to be a vapid effort with a slow pace and a poorly 
written script.

Did you know? 
     "Then away goes the brisk and pleasant Spirits and leave a 
vapid or sour Drink." So wrote John Mortimer, an early 18th-
century expert on agriculture, orchards, and cider-making, in 
his book on husbandry. His use was typical for his day, 
when "vapid" was often used specifically in reference to liquor. 
The term, which entered English in the 17th century, comes 
from "vapidus," a Latin word that means "flat-tasting" and may 
be related to "vapor." These days, you're likely to hear people 
referring to wine as "vapid." You're likely to hear the word in 
plenty of other situations, too. "Vapid," along with the 
synonyms "insipid," "flat," and "inane," is often used to 
describe people and things that lack spirit and character.