: sad, mournful
But the effect of the slimy, sluggish water … with a dried caking of mud, is triste and melancholy in the extreme …William Fairholme
also : wistful

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French, from Latin tristis

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of triste was in 1756

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Triste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triste. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on triste

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!