doloroso

American  

[doh-luh-roh-soh, daw-law-raw-saw] / ˌdoʊ ləˈroʊ soʊ, ˌdɔ lɔˈrɔ sɔ /

adjective

1. plaintive, as if expressing sorrow (used as a musical direction).

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doloroso British  

/ ˌdɒləˈrəʊsəʊ /

adjective

1. music (to be performed) in a sorrowful manner

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Etymology

Origin of doloroso

From Italian, dating back to 1800–10; see origin at dolor, -ose ¹

Example Sentences

The doloroso riso and corta pace are the smiles and happiness of earthly love.

From Sonnets by Symonds, John Addington

Quanti dolci pensier, quanto disio Menò costoro al doloroso passo!'

From The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 4 by Coleridge, Ernest Hartley

All of which perfectly accounts for Mr. Robert's sighs in what musicians call the doloroso.

From Man on the Box by MacGrath, Harold

There was a pause and then the professor struck up, doloroso pianissimo, the tune of "Home, Sweet Home."

From A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago by Hecht, Ben

To the perusal of the story of Launcelot and Guenever Dante ascribes the coming of Paolo and Francesca al doloroso passo.

From A History of English Prose Fiction by Tuckerman, Bayard