saturnine

[ sat-er-nahyn ]

adjective

1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
2. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
3. due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.

saturnine

/ ˈsætəˌnaɪn; ˌsætəˈnɪnɪtɪ /

adjective

1. having a gloomy temperament; taciturn
2. archaic.
   1. of or relating to lead
   2. having or symptomatic of lead poisoning

Derived Forms

• saturninity, noun
• ˈsaturˌninely, adverb

Other Words From

• satur·ninely adverb
• satur·nineness sat·ur·nin·i·ty [sat-er-, nin, -i-tee], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of saturnine¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin sāturnīnus ( Saturn, -ine ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of saturnine¹

C15: from French saturnin, from Medieval Latin sāturnīnus (unattested), from Latin Sāturnus Saturn, with reference to the gloomy influence attributed to the planet Saturn

Example Sentences

He was a slim saturnine-faced man with cigaret-ash stain on a coat lapel.

From Project Gutenberg

The dark, saturnine stranger had shrunk away into the background of his life, and no longer seemed of importance to him.

From Project Gutenberg

I saw him as he strode through the little village, looking neither to right nor left, saturnine of countenance.

From Project Gutenberg

And by the door stood Billy, watching them all like an evil spirit, with a leer of saturnine malice on his evil face.

From Project Gutenberg

The driver, a lean saturnine man who seemed to be forever chewing gum, began to prepare coffee.

From Project Gutenberg