Melancholy meaning

What does “melancholy” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“melancholy” is a noun and adjective with 5 meanings. Its most common meaning is: a feeling of thoughtful sadness.

melancholy

noun

  1. a feeling of thoughtful sadness

  2. a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed

  3. a humor that was once believed to be secreted by the kidneys or spleen and to cause sadness and melancholy

    Synonymsblack bile

adjective

  1. characterized by or causing or expressing sadness

    “growing more melancholy every hour”

    “her melancholic smile”

    Synonymsmelancholic
  2. grave or even gloomy in character

    “solemn and mournful music”

    “a suit of somber black”

    Synonymssombersombre

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University