noun
melancholy
MEH-luhn-kuh-lee
noun
1
A deep, thoughtful sadness, often tinged with nostalgia.
"A gentle melancholy settled over her as she packed up the old house."
adjective
1
Sad or gloomy in a wistful, reflective way.
"He hummed a melancholy tune on the walk home."
How to Use Melancholy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA soft, lingering sadness — more wistful than sharp grief.
Common pairings
a melancholy mood
tinged with melancholy
Word Forms
more melancholy comparative, melancholies plural, most melancholy superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “melancholy”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
A gentle _____ settled over her as she packed up the old house.
Etymology
From Greek melankholia ("black bile") — ancient medicine believed an excess of this bodily humor caused sadness and gloom.