Buoyant
/ˈbɔɪ.ənt/
Buoyant describes something that either floats in a fluid or a person who remains cheerful and optimistic, especially in tough times.
Examples
- She remained buoyant throughout the entire ordeal.
- The ship's hull was designed to be highly buoyant.
- They tested whether the material would stay buoyant after 24 hours in water.
- The life jacket kept her buoyant in the rough sea.
- His buoyant personality lifted everyone's mood.
Meanings
Derived from the Old French boire (to float), which came from the Latin bottia meaning 'a cask' or 'barrel'. The modern sense of 'floating' developed in the 17th century in English.
Examples
- The life jacket kept her buoyant in the rough sea.
- Helium is a buoyant gas that lifts balloons upward.
- His confidence remained buoyant despite the setbacks.
- The ship's hull was designed to be highly buoyant.
- They tested whether the material would stay buoyant after 24 hours in water.
By the mid-1800s, the physical property of floating was metaphorically applied to emotions. 'Buoyant spirit' began appearing in literature to describe resilient, lively dispositions.
Examples
- She remained buoyant throughout the entire ordeal.
- His buoyant personality lifted everyone's mood.
- Even after the loss, the team stayed buoyant and hopeful.
- A buoyant laugh echoed through the room.
- They gave a buoyant performance despite the criticism.