Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [mel-uh n-kol-ee]
- /ˈmɛl ənˌkɒl i/
- /ˈmel.əŋ.kɒl.i/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [mel-uh n-kol-ee]
- /ˈmɛl ənˌkɒl i/
Definitions of melancholy word
- noun plural melancholy sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness. 1
- noun plural melancholy Archaic. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression. black bile. 1
- adjective melancholy affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed: a melancholy mood. 1
- adjective melancholy causing melancholy or sadness; saddening: a melancholy occasion. 1
- adjective melancholy soberly thoughtful; pensive. 1
- noun melancholy A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of melancholy
First appearance:
before 1275 One of the 13% oldest English words
1275-1325; Middle English melancholie < Late Latin melancholia < Greek melancholía condition of having black bile, equivalent to melan- melan- + chol(ḗ) bile + -ia -ia
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Melancholy
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
melancholy popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 93% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
melancholy usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for melancholy
adj melancholy
- pensive — dreamily or wistfully thoughtful: a pensive mood.
- somber — gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lighted: a somber passageway.
- gloomy — dark or dim; deeply shaded: gloomy skies.
- wistful — characterized by melancholy; longing; yearning.
- trite — lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition; hackneyed; stale: the trite phrases in his letter.
noun melancholy
- gloom — total or partial darkness; dimness.
- desperation — Desperation is the feeling that you have when you are in such a bad situation that you will try anything to change it.
- sorrow — distress caused by loss, affliction, disappointment, etc.; grief, sadness, or regret.
- despondency — Despondency is a strong feeling of unhappiness caused by difficulties which you feel you cannot overcome.
- grief — keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.
adjective melancholy
- sad — Systems Analysis Definition
- heavyhearted — Sad.
Antonyms for melancholy
adj melancholy
- cheerful — Someone who is cheerful is happy and shows this in their behaviour.
- joyful — full of joy, as a person or one's heart; glad; delighted.
- happy — delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person.
- bright — A bright colour is strong and noticeable, and not dark.
- sunny — abounding in sunshine: a sunny day.
noun melancholy
- happiness — the quality or state of being happy.
- joy — a female given name.
- advantage — An advantage is something that puts you in a better position than other people.
- boon — You can describe something as a boon when it makes life better or easier for someone.
- gladness — feeling joy or pleasure; delighted; pleased: glad about the good news; glad that you are here.
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with m
- Words starting with me
- Words starting with mel
- Words starting with mela
- Words starting with melan
- Words starting with melanc
- Words starting with melanch
- Words starting with melancho
- Words starting with melanchol
- Words starting with melancholy