Definition

Adjective: 1. Not fully rigid: Describes an object or structure that has some degree of flexibility or bendability but is not completely pliable or soft. It resists deformation to a significant extent. 2. Having a form maintained by a rigid internal structure as well as by internal gas pressure: A specific technical meaning, often used to describe a type of airship or dirigible that combines a rigid keel with a gas-filled envelope to maintain its shape.

Examples of Usage

• The surgeon used a semirigid tube for the procedure, as it needed to hold its shape but also navigate delicate pathways.
• Early 20th-century aviation saw the development of semirigid airships, which were more robust than blimps but less complex than fully rigid zeppelins.
• The packaging material is semirigid, providing good protection for the product while being slightly flexible.

Advanced Usage

• Engineering/Design: In materials science, a semirigid material exhibits elastic deformation under stress but will eventually fracture rather than flow plastically. It occupies a middle ground between rigid (like steel) and flexible (like rubber).
• Medical Devices: Catheters and endoscopes are often described as semirigid, indicating they have a defined shape for guidance but can bend to follow anatomical structures.

Variants and Related Words

• Semirigidity (noun): The state or quality of being semirigid.
  • The semirigidity of the polymer makes it ideal for this application.

Synonyms

• Semi-flexible
• Firm but bendable
• Stiff yet pliant

Antonyms

• Rigid
• Flexible
• Pliable
• Flaccid

Adjective

1. not fully rigid
2. having a form maintained by a rigid internal structure as well as by internal gas pressure