tristful

[ trist-fuhl ]

adjective

1. full of sadness; sorrowful.

Other Words From

• tristful·ly adverb
• tristful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tristful¹

1485–95; obsolete trist sad, gloomy (< Old French triste < Latin tristis ) + -ful

Example Sentences

Starting in 2016, gone will be the tristful effect of arcane vocabulary words such as “tristful” and “arcane”; gone will be the penalty for guessing wrong instead of leaving the answer blank; and gone will be the short-lived mandatory essay section, a test that reportedly places a higher value on loquaciousness than logic.

From New York Times

"Whoever will give any information of these unfortunate, tristful gentlemen to the Hartford Convention, will confer a favor on humanity."

From Project Gutenberg

Why had Pat only given her tristful white pearls?

From Project Gutenberg

Or an alcoholic bard's notoriously rhythmical night thoughts: "'Twas upon a midnight tristful I sat poring, wan and wistful/ Through many a quaint and curious list full of my consorts slain."

From Time Magazine Archive

The Autumn wind was booming round the plantation and sweeping up the broad path down the hillside with a skelter of leaves that gave a wild gaiety to the usually tristful scene.

From Project Gutenberg