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saturninity

 - 4 dictionary results

sat⋅ur⋅nine

  [sat-er-nahyn]
Use saturninity in a Sentence
–adjective
1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
2. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
3. due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < ML sāturnīnus (see Saturn, -ine 1 )

Related forms:
sat⋅ur⋅nine⋅ly, adverb
sat⋅ur⋅nine⋅ness, sat⋅ur⋅nin⋅i⋅ty  [sat-er-nin-i-tee] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

saturnine 
"gloomy, morose, sluggish, grave," 1433, lit. "born under the influence of the planet Saturn," from M.E. Saturne (see Saturn). Medieval physiology believed these characteristics to be caused by the astrological influence of the planet Saturn, which was the most remote from the Sun (in the limited knowledge of the times) and thus coldest and slowest in its revolution.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: sat·ur·nine
Pronunciation: 'sat-&r-"nIn
Function: adjective
1 : of or relating to lead
2 : of,relating to, or produced by the absorption of lead into the system <saturnine poisoning> <saturnine gout>
Satáurn /'sat-&rn,/ Roman mythologicalcharacter. A god of agriculture in Roman mythology, Saturn taught humans how to till the fields and enjoy the fruits of civilization. His festival was called the Saturnalia and took place in lateDecember. Lasting a week, it was the merriest and most popular of the Roman festivals. The planet Saturn, named after the god, was believed by the ancients to be made of lead.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

saturnine sat·ur·nine (sāt'ər-nīn')
adj.

  1. Melancholy or sullen.

  2. Produced by absorption of lead.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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