elegiac

adjective

ele·​gi·​ac ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək 

-ˌak,

 also  i-ˈlē-jē-ˌak

variants or less commonly elegiacal

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-kəl 

1

a

: of, relating to, or consisting of two dactylic hexameter lines the second of which lacks the arsis in the third and sixth feet

b(1)

: written in or consisting of elegiac couplets

(2)

: noted for having written poetry in such couplets

c

: of or relating to the period in Greece about the seventh century b.c. when poetry written in such couplets flourished

2

: of, relating to, or comprising elegy or an elegy

especially : expressing sorrow often for something now past

an elegiac lament for departed youth

elegiac noun

elegiacally

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

Elegiac was borrowed into English in the 16th century from Late Latin elagiacus, which in turn derives from Greek elegeiakos. Elegeiakos traces back to the Greek word for "elegiac couplet," which was elegeion. It is no surprise, then, that the earliest meaning of elegiac referred to such poetic couplets. These days, of course, the word is also used to describe anything sorrowful or nostalgic. As you may have guessed, another descendant of elegeion in English is elegy, which in its oldest sense refers to a poem in elegiac couplets, and now can equally refer to a somewhat broader range of laments for something or someone that is now lost.

Synonyms

• depressing
• depressive
• morbid
• funereal
• chill
• lonely
• somber
• solemn
• sombre

Examples of elegiac in a Sentence

the sight of an old ruined church or castle can be a pleasantly elegiac experience

Recent Examples on the Web

As One of Us gleefully samples multiple registers—comic, tragic, satiric, elegiac, poetic—its mesh of archaic and contemporary styles becomes something quite arresting, a joy to read … Chaon’s beautiful novel insists on answers. —Book Marks september 26, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025

His tone was elegiac, but not apologetic. —Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025

The film’s craft — from production design and makeup to Alexandre Desplat’s elegiac score — is already drawing awards buzz. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025

There is an elegiac tone and a dash of wit in this lovely, small-scale film held together by Willem Dafoe‘s magnetic presence and natural but compelling performance. —Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin elegiacus, from Greek elegeiakos, from elegeion

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for elegiac

• ammoniac
• biofeedback
• counterattack
• demoniac
• noncardiac
• paranoiac
• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback

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