english word · 2026-05-29
Saudade
noun
Meaning
A deep emotional state of melancholic longing for an absent person, place, or thing that one loves. It often implies a realization that the object of longing may never return.
Etymology
Derived from the Portuguese word of the same spelling, tracing back to the Latin 'solitudo' meaning solitude.
Examples
"As she looked at the faded photograph of her childhood home, a wave of saudade washed over her."
"The haunting melody of the cello perfectly captured the sense of saudade that defined his exile."
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