elegiac
Americanadjective
-
used in, suitable for, or resembling an elegy.
-
expressing sorrow or lamentation.
elegiac strains.
-
Classical Prosody. noting a distich or couplet the first line of which is a dactylic hexameter and the second a pentameter, or a verse differing from the hexameter by suppression of the arsis or metrically unaccented part of the third and the sixth foot.
noun
-
an elegiac or distich verse.
-
a poem in such distichs or verses.
adjective
-
resembling, characteristic of, relating to, or appropriate to an elegy
-
lamenting; mournful; plaintive
-
denoting or written in elegiac couplets or elegiac stanzas
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of elegiac
First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle French, from Latin elegīacus, from Greek elegeiakós; equivalent to elegy + -ac
Explanation
If there's one song on your playlist that always brings tears to your eyes, maybe it's because it has an elegiac quality. Elegiac means "mournful or sad." The adjective elegiac is useful when you're talking about music, a movie, a book, or another work of art that has a sorrowful tone. Sometimes elegiac specifically refers to something or someone that's gone: a person who's died, or a time in the past, especially if you feel a sense of longing for it. You can speak in an elegiac way, or sing an elegiac tune. The word comes from the Greek elegos, "poem or song of lament."
Vocabulary lists containing elegiac
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Death of a Salesman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
References to John can be found in some of his brother's works, such as in The Character of the Happy Warrior, Stepping Westward and Elegiac Stanzas.
From BBC • Aug. 14, 2024
Elegiac poetry, they argued, was no fit subject for a man not yet out of his 20s.
From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2019
Elegiac music is more effecting when it’s uplifting, creating a happy-sad feeling.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2018
Elegiac, witty and deeply reflective, “Night Across the Street” strikes a mature and complex tone.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2013
Elegiac octosyllabics.—Same as the last, except that the rhymes are regularly alternate, and the verses arranged in stanzas.
From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
