pliant

Definition

Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking.

Etymology

From Middle English pliaunt, from Old French ploiant, present participle of ploiier (“to fold”).

Example Sentences

• "a pliant thread"
• "pliant wax"
• "Whether in its northern or southern home, the black-throated blue warbler builds its nest of bark, roots, and other pliant material, loose and rather bulky, in a variety of saplings, bushes, and weeds, but always a few inches or a few feet from the ground."