adjective
melancholic
Melancholic (adjective) means feeling or showing deep, often thoughtful sadness. Example: “The film has a melancholic tone that lingers long after it ends.”
adjective
1
Feeling or showing deep, often thoughtful sadness.
"The film has a melancholic tone that lingers long after it ends."
noun
1
A person who is habitually sad or given to melancholy.
"He was a natural melancholic, always seeing the gloomier side of things."
How to use melancholic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSad in a quiet, reflective way, or a person prone to that kind of sadness.
Common mistake
"Melancholic" is the adjective describing a person or mood; "melancholy" can be either the adjective or the noun for the sadness itself.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- melancholics
- Comparative
- more melancholic
- Superlative
- most melancholic
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The film has a _____ tone that lingers long after it ends.
Etymology
From Greek melankholikos, describing someone with a melancholic temperament — traditionally blamed on an excess of "black bile."
Synonyms
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melancholiac
melancholy
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for melancholic
See all rhymes for melancholic →Frequently asked questions
What does “melancholic” mean?
The word “melancholic” means feeling or showing deep, often thoughtful sadness. In plain terms, sad in a quiet, reflective way, or a person prone to that kind of sadness.
How do you use “melancholic” in a sentence?
Here is “melancholic” used in a sentence: “The film has a melancholic tone that lingers long after it ends.”
What part of speech is “melancholic”?
Depending on how it is used, “melancholic” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “melancholic” come from?
The word “melancholic” comes from Greek. From Greek melankholikos, describing someone with a melancholic temperament — traditionally blamed on an excess of "black bile.".
How many meanings does “melancholic” have?
“Melancholic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: feeling or showing deep, often thoughtful sadness.
