broody

[broo-dee]

adjective

broodier, broodiest 

1. moody; gloomy.

2. inclined to sit on eggs.

   a broody hen.

broody

/ ˈbruːdɪ /

adjective

1. moody; meditative; introspective

2. (of poultry) wishing to sit on or hatch eggs

3. informal,  (of a woman) wishing to have a baby of her own

Other Word Forms

• broodiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of broody¹

First recorded in 1505–15; brood + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The “La La Land” and “The Notebook” star, who is a noted musician as well, then took a seat behind a large black piano and donned dark sunglasses for the broody satire.

From Los Angeles Times

Stewart’s non-gender-conforming streak started to surface in her portrayal of broody heroine Bella Swan in the “Twilight” saga, which the actor said in a January interview with Variety had a “very Gothic, gay inclination.”

From Los Angeles Times

Lucifer seemed likely to trounce broody hero Dream initially — until he asked, “What kills hope?”

From Los Angeles Times

Will often go broody; excellent for raising chicks from fertile eggs.

From Literature

“Whatever, Ms. Gifted-in-Everything. I’m going to check it out. Are you coming with, or are you going back to cower with the rest of the broody hens?”

From Literature

Related Words

• depressed 
• dismal 
• dour 
• forlorn 
• glum 
• melancholy 
• miserable 
• pessimistic 
• sad 
• solemn 
• sullen 
• ugly 

When To Use

What does broody mean?

Broody is an adjective that means moody or gloomy, as in When I’m feeling broody, I paint dark pictures to match my mood.Broody is a neutral word. It describes a person’s emotions or personality. Sometimes, a fictional character who is broody is actually considered attractive or interesting. For example, Batman is a famously broody superhero, and many fans love him for it.Broody also describes an urge to sit on eggs, as in Our favorite hen is broody, sitting on her eggs all day long.Example: Whenever Jordan is feeling broody, he listens to sad music to help express how he feels.