melancholy

American  

[mel-uhn-kol-ee] / ˈmɛl ənˌkɒl i /

noun

plural

melancholies

1. a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.

   Synonyms:

   despondency, dejection, sadness

   Antonyms:

   happiness, cheer

2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

   Synonyms:

   seriousness

3. Archaic.

   1. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.

   2. black bile.

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adjective

1. affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed.

   a melancholy mood.

   Synonyms:

   downcast, glum, doleful, dismal, sorrowful, dispirited, blue, despondent, gloomy

2. causing melancholy or sadness; saddening.

   a melancholy occasion.

   Antonyms:

   happy

3. soberly thoughtful; pensive.

   Synonyms:

   serious, serious

melancholy British  

/ ˈmɛlənˌkɒlɪlɪ, ˈmɛlənkəlɪ /

noun

1. a constitutional tendency to gloominess or depression

2. a sad thoughtful state of mind; pensiveness

3. archaic

   1. a gloomy character, thought to be caused by too much black bile

   2. one of the four bodily humours; black bile See humour

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adjective

1. characterized by, causing, or expressing sadness, dejection, etc

Other Word Forms

• melancholily adverb
• melancholiness noun
• unmelancholy adjective

Etymology

Origin of melancholy

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English melancholie, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melancholía ”condition of having black bile,” equivalent to melan- “black” + chol(ḗ) “bile, gall” + -ia noun suffix; melan(o)-, chol-, -ia

Example Sentences

Further, the juxtaposition of the idealized Norman Rockwellesque holiday feast brought to mind by the image’s Christmas decor and the reality of the restaurant’s affordable but less heartfelt meal introduces a melancholy air.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Hebron’s mood of melancholy seems to lift when Bonnie Brekke drives into town from her family farm, just west of city limits.

From Salon

No wonder, then, that the film’s genre-hopping dexterity is laced with a hint of melancholy.

From Los Angeles Times

Divorcing his wife of nearly three decades and watching two of his daughters leave home led to melancholy songs that didn’t feel right to release.

From Los Angeles Times

Significantly, the name Paul Reubens is absent from the title of this bountiful, sweet and sometimes melancholy look at one of pop culture’s great creations and its creator.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boredom
• despair
• desperation
• despondency
• ennui
• gloom
• grief
• sorrow
• wistfulness