melancholy

1. 1
   adjectiveliterary

   Feeling very sad and low.

   After the move, she felt melancholy and missed her old friends.

   The melancholy boy sat by the window all afternoon.

   UsageUse it for people or things: a melancholy song.

   Similardepressed, dejected, downcast, despondent, downhearted

   Oppositecheerful, happy, joyful, merry

   Note
2. 2
   sad moodnoununcountable

   Deep sadness, often the kind where you think a lot about your feelings.

   A feeling of melancholy came over her as she packed up her childhood room.

   Rainy Sundays always fill him with melancholy.

   UsageSay a feeling of melancholy.

   Similarsadness, sorrow, unhappiness, depression, dejection

   Oppositehappiness, joy, cheerfulness, elation

   Note
3. 3
   body fluidnounhistoricaluncountable

   Black bile, which people in the past believed was one of the four main fluids in the body.

   Ancient doctors thought too much melancholy, or black bile, made people sad.

   Healers of that time tried to drain melancholy out of the body.

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Making you feel sad, or showing or seeming to show sadness.

   The empty beach looked melancholy under the gray winter sky.

   A melancholy tune drifted from the old man's violin.

   Similarsad, mournful, wistful, somber, doleful

   Oppositecheerful, joyful, happy

   Note

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