plaintive

[pleyn-tiv]

adjective

1. expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful.

   a plaintive melody.

   Synonyms: sad, sorrowful, wistful
   Antonyms: joyful, happy

plaintive

/ ˈpleɪntɪv /

adjective

1. expressing melancholy; mournful

Other Word Forms

• plaintively adverb
• plaintiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of plaintive¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; plaint + -ive; replacing Middle English plaintif, from Middle French

Word History and Origins

Origin of plaintive¹

C14: from Old French plaintif grieving, from plainte _plaint

Example Sentences

Even Veronika had the sense not to repeat her plaintive question, “I wonder how they heard of me.”

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The words seemed to come from outside her, but it was only a whippoorwill offering its plaintive, three-note cry.

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Tom Petty vowing not to back down sounds plaintive and aspirational.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This pageant of puppetry includes a flutter of butterflies, a goat with a plaintive bleat, a menagerie of wild animals and, at one point, a school of glowing fish.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The English horn issued a plaintive, simple melody, as if trying to evoke older memories of a nearly forgotten time.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• grief-stricken 
• heartrending 
• melancholy 
• mournful 
• sad 
• sorrowful 
• wistful