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melancholy definition

mel·an·choly (mel′ən käl′ē)

noun pl. melancholies -·chol′·ies

  1. Obsolete
    1. black bile: in medieval times considered to be one of the four humors of the body, to come from the spleen or kidneys, and to cause gloominess, irritability, or depression
    2. the condition of having, or the disorder supposed to result from having, too much black bile
    1. sadness and depression of spirits
    2. a tendency to be sad, gloomy, or depressed
  3. sad, sober musing; pensiveness

Etymology: ME malencoli < OFr melancolie < LL melancholia < Gr < melas, black (see melano-) + cholē, bile, gall: see yellow

adjective

  1. sad and depressed; gloomy
    1. causing sadness, gloom, or depression
    2. lamentable; deplorable
  3. sadly or soberly musing; pensive
  4. Obsolete having the disorder of melancholy

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical melancholy definition - medical

melancholy Synonyms

melancholy

modif.

  1. Sad; said of persons

    depressed, unhappy, dispirited; see sad 1.

  2. Depressing; said of information or events

    dreary, unfortunate, saddening; see sad 2. See syn. study at sad.


melancholy

n.

wistfulness, despair, unhappiness; see depression 2, grief 1, sadness.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

melancholy Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • song: Certainly in the intricate melodic melancholy of the song is a hint of the Joni circa Urge For Going period.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • make: That makes the film rather melancholy, although it's basically a romantic story.

Modifies a noun

  • thistle: Other plants such as Northern Marsh orchid, greater burnet, ox-eye daisy and melancholy thistle occur in some.

Modifying Another Word

  • somewhat: Also, there are some genuine flashes of pop genius here, albeit somewhat melancholy ones.

Used with adjective complement

  • feel: I can't help wondering whether I am alone in feeling melancholy at the ruin of Blunkett.
melancholy usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

melancholy quotes

Et toi mon coeur pourquoi bats-tu Comme un guetteur me¤  lancolique J'observe la nuit et la mort. And you my heart why do you pound Like some melancholy watchman I watch the night and death.

-Kostrowitzki

   The rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base, and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and theregressiseithera downfall, orat least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing: Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

All my joys to this are folly, Naught so sweet as melancholy.

-Burton, Robert pseudonym DemocritusJunior

melancholy quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"melancholy." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/melancholy>

APA Style

melancholy. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/melancholy

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