cafard

/ kafar /

noun

1. a feeling of severe depression

Word History and Origins

Origin of cafard¹

C20: from French, literally: cockroach, hypocrite

Example Sentences

Clément Calvet – “Cafard,” “Song of the Sea”

From Los Angeles Times

Peter has a great John Cheever word for it: cafard.”

From New York Times

I wink back the tears which threaten to come, shake his hand hard, and tell him to be sure to come again the next time he has the "cafard".

From Project Gutenberg

He had the "cafard"—the blues—and nobody could do anything for him but the Directrice.

From Project Gutenberg

She was very tired herself, and for just a moment she reflected that if she had an instant's time, she would probably have the worst fit of "cafard" ever known to man.

From Project Gutenberg