melancholy
[ mel-uhn-kol-ee ]
/ ˈmɛl ənˌkɒl i /
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noun, plural mel·an·chol·ies.
a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.
sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.
Archaic.
- the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.
- black bile.
adjective
SYNONYMS FOR melancholy
2 seriousness.
6 serious.
VIDEO FOR MELANCHOLY
WATCH NOW: The Bizarre Origin Of The Word "Melancholy"
The meaning of melancholy was never a good thing, but it was way worse in medieval times … kind of like everything else back then when I think about it, actually.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of melancholy
OTHER WORDS FROM melancholy
mel·an·chol·i·ly, adverbmel·an·chol·i·ness, nounun·mel·an·chol·y, adjectiveWords nearby melancholy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for melancholy
British Dictionary definitions for melancholy
melancholy
/ (ˈmɛlənkəlɪ) /
noun plural -cholies
a constitutional tendency to gloominess or depression
a sad thoughtful state of mind; pensiveness
archaic
- a gloomy character, thought to be caused by too much black bile
- one of the four bodily humours; black bileSee humour (def. 8)
adjective
characterized by, causing, or expressing sadness, dejection, etc
Derived forms of melancholy
melancholily (ˈmɛlənˌkɒlɪlɪ), adverbmelancholiness, nounWord Origin for melancholy
C14: via Old French from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melankholia, from melas black + kholē bile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for melancholy
melancholy
[ mĕl′ən-kŏl′ē ]
n.
Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom.
Melancholia.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.