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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stephen Frears’s Gothic drama is, to be fair, rather watchable — atmospheric and melancholic, with John Malkovich clearly getting a kick out of chewing any and all available scenery. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 By bringing together the melancholic romance of Victorian Gothic, the spirit of the original subculture, and contemporary makeup trends, Jalalvand's look for Wednesday made the goth sensibility more accessible. Sophia Panych, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025 Backed by melancholic country sonics, the clip also captures them performing during a boxing match and highlights the early stages of their growing friendship. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2025 More than the music or the melancholic nostalgia, though, what felt devastating was the realization of how rare the festival’s sense of collective possibility feels today. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for melancholic

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

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Cite this Entry

“Melancholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melancholic. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on melancholic

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