Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Browse Nearby Entries
melancholy
3 dictionary results for: Melancholily
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

mel⋅an⋅chol⋅y

   [mel-uhn-kol-ee]
noun, plural -chol⋅ies, adjective
–noun
1. a gloomy state of mind, esp. when habitual or prolonged; depression.
2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.
3. Archaic.
a. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.
b. black bile.
–adjective
4. affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed: a melancholy mood.
5. causing melancholy or sadness; saddening: a melancholy occasion.
6. soberly thoughtful; pensive.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME melancholie < LL melancholia < Gk melancholía condition of having black bile, equiv. to melan- melan- + chol() bile + -ia -ia
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
mel·an·chol·y     (měl'ən-kŏl'ē)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom: "There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass" (Charles Kuralt).
  2. Pensive reflection or contemplation.
  3. Archaic
    1. Black bile.
    2. An emotional state characterized by sullenness and outbreaks of violent anger, believed to arise from black bile.
adj.  
  1. Affected with or marked by depression of the spirits; sad. See Synonyms at sad.
  2. Tending to promote sadness or gloom: a letter with some melancholy news.
  3. Pensive; thoughtful.

[Middle English melancolie, from Old French, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melankholiā : melās, melan-, black + kholē, bile; see ghel-2 in Indo-European roots.]
mel'an·chol'i·ly adv., mel'an·chol'i·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Melancholily

Mel"an*chol`i*ly\, adv. In a melancholy manner.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com