melancholy — a feeling of pensive sadness or thoughtful sorrow
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a feeling of pensive sadness or thoughtful sorrow
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmelənkɑːli/
Example Sentences
- My cat seems to have melancholy whenever I open a can of vegetables instead of tuna.
- The autumn leaves filled her with a gentle melancholy.
- His melancholy expression during the math test suggested he forgot to study again.
melancholy
NOUN[/ˈmelənkɑːli/]
a feeling of pensive sadness or thoughtful sorrow

A feeling of melancholy quietly filled her heart as she looked through old photographs.

The music created a feeling of melancholy throughout the room. (MEMORY + LONELY = MELANCHOLY → melancholy is a lonely feeling often connected with memories and quiet sadness)

Melancholy memories slowly found harmony through music.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Greek 'melaina' (black) and 'kholē' (bile), reflecting the ancient medical theory of humors where an excess of black bile was believed to cause sadness and depression.
Breakdown
melan- (black, from Greek melaina) + -chol- (bile, from Greek kholē) + -y (noun suffix) = melancholy
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat seems to have melancholy whenever I open a can of vegetables instead of tuna.”
“The autumn leaves filled her with a gentle melancholy.”
“His melancholy expression during the math test suggested he forgot to study again.”
“The melancholy sound of rain against the window was oddly comforting.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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