english word · 2026-07-08
Hiraeth
noun
Meaning
A deep feeling of longing for a home, place, or time that no longer exists or perhaps never was. It conveys a bittersweet desire for the things of the past and a sense of belonging that is currently out of reach.
Etymology
Derived from the Welsh 'hir' (long) and 'aeth' (grief or sorrow).
Examples
"Scanning the old photographs, she felt a profound sense of hiraeth for the mountain village where she spent her childhood summers."
"The haunting melody of the cello seemed to capture the hiraeth of an exile yearning for a distant shore."
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