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sup·ple

(sŭpəl)

adj. sup·pler, sup·plest

1. Readily bent, folded, or manipulated; pliant: a wallet made of supple leather. See Synonyms at flexible.

2. Moving and bending with agility; limber: a supple gymnast.

3. Adaptable to changing circumstances: "The supple ambiguities of English are a large part of its genius" (Mark Abley).

tr. & intr.v. sup·pled, sup·pling, sup·ples

To make or become supple.

[Middle English souple, from Old French, from Latin supplex, suppliant; see plāk-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

supple·ness n.

supply, supple·ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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