Weltschmerz
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of Weltschmerz
First recorded in 1860–65; literally, “world-pain,” from Welt world ( def. ) + Schmerz “pain”; see smart ( def. ) (in the sense “pain”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is even more surprising, given that what the German novelist Jean Paul christened Weltschmerz has seemingly been in steady decline for the last 10 years.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 3, 2016
The crass Buck is less interested in discussing Tony’s sudden bout of Weltschmerz than he is in ushering him off to the Japanese restaurant where their dates await.
From New York Times ● Dec. 6, 2011
"Today," says one record executive, "you gotta have Weltschmerz with the beat."
From Time Magazine Archive
In him the French bon vivant shines only dimly through a fog of German Weltschmerz: he enjoys life but seldom seems basically happy.
From Time Magazine Archive
Confounded affectation all this Weltschmerz; you have no right to be anything but a happy man.
From Farthest North Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship 'Fram' 1893-1896 by Nansen, Fridtjof
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
