Nonrigid

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A structure or object that is flexible, bendable, or capable of changing shape rather than being stiff or固定 in form
2. A material or object characterized by its ability to be flexible and adaptable in shape, contrasting with solid and inflexible counterparts
3. A type of object distinguished by its capacity to bend or change shape, rather than remaining fixed or stiff in a particular form

Etymology: Non- is the Old English "nān" (none, not one), which passed into Middle English as a negating prefix, so "nonrigid" is a plain English compound meaning "not rigid." The rigid half comes from Latin "rigidus," built on "rigeō," "to be stiff," itself descended from a Proto-Indo-European root for stiffening and tightening. Latin "rigidus" passed into Middle English as "rigide" and later took its modern spelling, so the word's core has been stiffness for its whole life. Put together, "nonrigid" is a straightforward negation: the prefix strips away the stiffness that "rigid" names. Its usefulness lies in describing things that flex or deform, such as materials, structures, and vehicles, where "flexible" or "elastic" would be too narrow.

Synonyms: flexible, pliant, yielding, soft, malleable

Antonyms: rigid, stiff, inflexible, hard, unbending