melancholy

[ mel-uhn-kol-ee ]

noun

, plural mel·an·chol·ies.

1. a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.

   Synonyms: despondency, dejection, sadness

   Antonyms: happiness, cheer

2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

   Synonyms: seriousness

3. Archaic.
   1. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.
   2. black bile.

adjective

1. affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed:

   a melancholy mood.

   Synonyms: downcast, glum, doleful, dismal, dispirited, blue, despondent, gloomy, sorrowful

2. causing melancholy or sadness; saddening:

   a melancholy occasion.

   Antonyms: happy

3. soberly thoughtful; pensive.

   Synonyms: serious

melancholy

/ ˈmɛlənˌkɒlɪlɪ; ˈmɛlənkəlɪ /

noun

1. a constitutional tendency to gloominess or depression
2. a sad thoughtful state of mind; pensiveness
3. archaic.
   1. a gloomy character, thought to be caused by too much black bile
   2. one of the four bodily humours; black bile See humour

adjective

1. characterized by, causing, or expressing sadness, dejection, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈmelanˌcholiness, noun
• melancholily, adverb

Other Words From

• melan·choli·ly adverb
• melan·choli·ness noun
• un·melan·choly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of melancholy¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English melancholie, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melancholía ”condition of having black bile,” equivalent to melan- “black” + chol(ḗ) “bile, gall” + -ia noun suffix; melan(o)-, chol-, -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of melancholy¹

C14: via Old French from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melankholia, from melas black + kholē bile

Example Sentences

In The Ringer, Rob Harvilla wrote that the album lacked any potential for pop hits as well as the “propulsion and the melancholy severity” of her past work.

From Time

Aaron Hicks, the Yankees’ $10 million-a-year center fielder, recently asked to sit out a game because he’d been rendered melancholy by the national news of the day.

From Washington Post

In three months, NASA will come upon the 10th anniversary of the final space shuttle flight, a period that was surely melancholy for the space agency.

From Ars Technica

Wilde wrote The Happy Prince and Other Tales, which, despite the title, all have a certain melancholy about them.

From Ozy

The researcher’s team also found that users with a tendency to post or engage with melancholy content—a possible sign of depression—could easily spiral into consuming increasingly negative material that risked further worsening their mental health.

From MIT Technology Review

I found their melancholy inviting and I appreciated their contemplative, lonely world.

From The Daily Beast

In the first chapter, rebellious Holly Sykes runs away from home and headlong into the melancholy perils of first love.

From The Daily Beast

"Ah, that trip with Lance," he said, then glanced down, with those melancholy eyes.

From The Daily Beast

The slurring of relationships and transactions has effects ranging from the gruesome to the melancholy.

From The Daily Beast

Young and gracious faces, somewhat remote and proud, but with a melancholy and sweet kindness.

From The Daily Beast

But, when the car came thundering down, it was crammed to the step; with a melancholy gesture, the driver declined her signal.

From Project Gutenberg

At the same time he is appreciative and very amusing, and one has no chance to indulge in melancholy with him.

From Project Gutenberg

Quaint old Burton in his "Anatomy of Melancholy," recognizes the virtues of the plant while he anathematizes its abuse.

From Project Gutenberg

There is among women always a melancholy satisfaction in seeing the very last of the beloved object.

From Project Gutenberg

There is nothing like it among us at the present day except within the melancholy precincts of the penitentiary.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• boredom
• despair
• desperation
• despondency
• ennui
• gloom
• grief
• sorrow
• wistfulness