Stolide

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a calm, impassive manner that shows no visible sign of emotion even in trying circumstances
2. Remaining composed and unmoved, showing little or no outward feeling under pressure or provocation
3. Marked by a stoical, unemotional calm that gives nothing away to observers

Etymology: Stolide, the more French-looking spelling of stolid, began as a word for dullness of mind rather than of feeling. Its Latin source, "stolidus," meant "dull" or "stupid," and it is closely tied to "stultus," "foolish." The sense of showing no emotion came later, as a figurative shift from being slow-witted to being unmoved. The French form "stolide" was borrowed into English, and the spelling "stolid" became the more common of the two. The meaning narrowed over time: a person who seemed unmoved was no longer assumed to be unintelligent, only impassive. The word now usually describes a face, a manner, or a reaction that gives nothing away.

Synonyms: stolid, impassive, phlegmatic, unemotional, placid

Antonyms: emotional, excitable, volatile, demonstrative, animated