dolorous

American  

[dol-er-uhs, doh-ler-] / ˈdɒl ər əs, ˈdoʊ lər- /

adjective

1. full of, expressing, or causing pain or sorrow; grievous; mournful.

   a dolorous melody; dolorous news.

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dolorous British  

/ ˈdɒlərəs /

adjective

1. causing or involving pain or sorrow

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undolorously
  adverb
• undolorousness
  noun
• dolorously
  adverb
• undolorous
  adjective
• dolorousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dolorous

1375–1425; Middle English dolorous, dolerous < Anglo-French, Old French; see dolor, -ous

Explanation

Dolorous is not a woman's name (that's Dolores), it is an adjective that describes someone showing great sadness. If your friend Dolores is crying about a lost puppy, you could call her dolorous Dolores. Music written in a minor key can have a dolorous effect. It sounds really sad, and can make you feel the same way. Dolorous shares the same root with the word, condolence, an expression of sympathy with someone's sadness. Both of these words come from the Latin word for grief, dolor, which in current Spanish happens to mean pain.