melancholy

²mel·an·choly

adj \ˈme-lən-ˌkä-lē\

Definition of MELANCHOLY

1

a : suggestive or expressive of sadness or depression of mind or spirit <sang in a melancholy voice> b : causing or tending to cause sadness or depression of mind or spirit : dismal <a melancholy thought>

2

a : depressed in spirits : dejected, sad b : pensive

Examples of MELANCHOLY

1. She was in a melancholy mood.
2. He became quiet and melancholy as the hours slowly passed.
3. A melancholy lesson of advancing years is the realization that you can't make old friends. —Christopher Hitchens, Harper's, June 1999
4. He has a snarled mop of spiky black hair, melancholy circles around his eyes, and a tiny Cupid's-bow mouth. —Pauline Kael, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 1990
5. I see your mournful party in my mind's eye under every varying circumstance of the day; … the efforts to talk, the frequent summons to melancholy orders and cares, and poor Edward, restless in misery, going from one room to the other … —Jane Austen, letter, 24 Oct. 1808

Origin of MELANCHOLY

(see ¹melancholy)

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MELANCHOLY

Synonyms: depressing, dismal, drear, dreary, heartbreaking, heartrending, sad, mournful, pathetic, saddening, sorry, tearful, teary

Antonyms: cheering, cheery, glad, happy

Related Words: deplorable, distressful, grievous, lamentable, unfortunate, woeful; discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing; affecting, moving, poignant, touching; discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

Near Antonyms: heartening, heartwarming, inspiring, stimulating, stirring, uplifting; agreeable, delightful, enjoyable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome; exhilarating, thrilling

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with MELANCHOLY

English holly