florid
Meaning
having a red or flushed complexion.
excessively intricate or elaborate; ornate.
Structure
Usage
his florid face suggested he had been out in the cold wind.
the architect was criticized for the building's florid and gaudy decorations.
she writes in a florid prose style, full of elaborate metaphors and adjectives.
Etymology
the word florid entered english in the mid-17th century, directly from the latin adjective 'floridus', which itself derives from 'flōs, flōr-', meaning 'flower'. the literal sense was 'flowery, abounding in flowers'. this concrete meaning evolved metaphorically in english to describe a complexion that is ruddy or flushed with a rosy, flower-like color. further abstraction extended the sense to language, decoration, or style that is excessively ornate or elaborately embellished, much like a profusion of flowers.
Analysis
flor originates from latin 'flōs, flōr-' meaning 'flower'. id is a latin adjectival suffix meaning 'having the quality of'.