Turbid and turgid (which means "swollen or distended" or "overblown, pompous, or bombastic") are frequently mistaken for one another, and it's no wonder. Not only do the two words differ by only a letter, they are often used in contexts where either word could fit. For example, a flooded stream can be simultaneously cloudy and swollen, and badly written prose might be both unclear and grandiloquent. Nevertheless, the distinction between these two words, however fine, is an important one for conveying exact shades of meaning, so it's a good idea to keep them straight. Turbid, like its relative turbulent, comes ultimately from the Latin noun turba, meaning "confusion" or "crowd."
the pond water became turbid from our swimming and splashing
Recent Examples on the WebAt the time, however, everything was roiling and turbid.Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2022 The city says larger Ashokan releases over the past decade have all been to regulate reservoir levels, though critics say the water released after storms can be turbid just the same. Michael Hill, ajc, 21 Apr. 2022 The pair of water releases came shortly after the city issued its environmental impact statement projecting that releases of extremely turbid water from the channel would rarely happen. Michael Hill, ajc, 21 Apr. 2022 Sharks thrash about in the turbid water between us and the man.Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2022 In the Indian River Lagoon, the turbid brown waters are much less hospitable.New York Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Instead, its turbid waters are infested with nonnative invasive plants and fish, particularly carp that had been deliberately introduced in 1883. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Sep. 2021 Maddox said operators at the Ed Love Raw Water Intake Station began noticing signs of a water leak about 6 a.m. this morning, meaning turbid water and depressurization. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 20 June 2021 Trap nets are always most effective on lakes with turbid water that distorts the fish’s vision.Dallas News, 8 May 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin turbidus confused, turbid, from turba confusion, crowd, probably from Greek tyrbē confusion