english word · 2026-07-27
melancholy
noun
Meaning
A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness, often felt without a specific immediate cause. It captures a state of quiet contemplation and soulful longing for something lost or out of reach.
Etymology
From Late Latin melancholia, which stems from the Greek melas (black) and khole (bile), referring to one of the four humors believed to cause a gloomy disposition.
Examples
"The soft light of the fading autumn sun always stirred a sweet melancholy in her heart."
"He sat by the window for hours, lost in the melancholy of an old cello concerto."
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