For people, to be torpid is to be in a sluggish, lethargic state — physically, mentally, or both. Winter, with its cold, dreary days and lack of sunlight, contributes to torpidity, which crosses over with “torpid” as it relates to an animal. A torpid animal is not just generally lazy — it’s in a state of hibernation. The root word of “torpid” is “torpere,” meaning “be numb or sluggish” in Latin. Interestingly, it’s also the same root word for “torpedo,” a distinctively zippy, high-powered underwater missile. This came from the fish called the torpedo ray (also known as the electric ray), which gives a shock that causes numbness.