wailful

[ weyl-fuhl ]

adjective

1. mournful; plaintive.

Other Words From

• wailful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wailful¹

First recorded in 1535–45; wail + -ful

Example Sentences

He suggested that the poems, if the few lines he had seen made a fair sample, were rather of the wailful order.

From Project Gutenberg

The battle was ending without even the poor pomp and circumstance of torn banners and wailful music.

From Project Gutenberg

You must lay lime to tangle her desires By wailful sonnets whose composèd rimep.

From Project Gutenberg

Clouds were gathering overhead, and a wailful wind made one moaning sweep through the trees behind us in the hollow.

From Project Gutenberg

Then over their tops passed a wailful gust of wind, through which we thought came the fall of receding footsteps.

From Project Gutenberg