melancholic

adjective

mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌme-lən-ˈkä-lik How to pronounce melancholic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed
2
: of or relating to melancholia
3
: tending to depress the spirits : saddening
melancholic noun

Examples of melancholic in a Sentence

she becomes quite melancholic when she reflects on all the lost opportunities of her life
Recent Examples on the Web That’s what melancholic music does to you isn’t it? Katie Bain, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024 As with Isong, Iris’ politely needling interrogation of Wonju yields poignant memories of family and childhood, though Iris returns these with her own melancholic reflections on mortality. Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024 Its fantasias are more melancholic, its themes of longing more resentful. Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2024 But there is something dismal and melancholic about Ballard’s vision. Leah Dolan, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024 By turns sentimental and melancholic, Haigh’s beautiful meditation on loneliness also includes ghostly visitations. Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023 Drawing off similar melancholic vibes of another morality fantasy, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Age of Adaline is a surprisingly moving film, with sensitive performances by Lively and Harrison Ford, who plays a past lover of Adaline who recognizes her decades later. Kevin Jacobsen and Sammi Burke, EW.com, 17 Nov. 2023 From Lana Del Rey’s melancholic dark pop to indie pop stars Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2024 In parallel, the moving and melancholic melodies of sad sierreño emerged, led by a new cast of Mexican American Gen Z acts such as Ivan Cornejo, DannyLux and Yahritza y Su Esencia. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'melancholic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English malencolic, melancolyk "consisting of or caused by black bile, irascible, gloomy," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French melancolique, borrowed from Latin melancholicus, borrowed from Greek melancholikós, from melancholía "black bile, melancholy entry 1" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of melancholic was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near melancholic

Cite this Entry

“Melancholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melancholic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

melancholic

1 of 2 adjective
mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌmel-ən-ˈkäl-ik How to pronounce melancholic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed
2
: of or relating to melancholia

melancholic

2 of 2 noun
1
: a melancholy person
2

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