sullen
[ suhl-uhn ]
/ ˈsʌl ən /
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adjective
showing irritation or ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve.
persistently and silently ill-humored; morose.
indicative of gloomy ill humor.
gloomy or dismal, as weather or a sound.
sluggish, as a stream.
Obsolete. malignant, as planets or influences.
OTHER WORDS FOR sullen
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Origin of sullen
First recorded in 1565–75; earlier sollen, solain, from Middle English solein(e), solain “sole, solitary, sullen,” possibly from Vulgar Latin sōlānus (unattested), from Latin sōlus “alone, only, single”
OTHER WORDS FROM sullen
sul·len·ly, adverbsul·len·ness, nounun·sul·len, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use sullen in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for sullen
sullen
/ (ˈsʌlən) /
adjective
unwilling to talk or be sociable; sulky; morose
sombre; gloomya sullen day
literary sluggish; slowa sullen stream
obsolete threatening
noun
(plural) archaic a sullen mood
Derived forms of sullen
sullenly, adverbsullenness, nounWord Origin for sullen
C16: perhaps from Anglo-French solain (unattested), ultimately related to Latin sōlus alone
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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