adj
plaintive
PLAYN-tihv
Plaintive (adj) means sounding sad, mournful, or full of longing. Example: “The violin played a plaintive melody.”
adj
1
Sounding sad, mournful, or full of longing.
"a typically plaintive song from Radiohead"
"I can see by your plaintive smile something is wrong, so spill it."
"The violin played a plaintive melody."
"She let out a plaintive cry when she realized her cat was missing."
"When my wife and I heard a plaintive whinny from our laundry room the other day, we knew that our old dryer had cycled its last load."
— Danny Heitman, An empty nester’s ode to the cycles of laundry – and life (2026)
How to use plaintive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes a sound or tone that expresses sadness or longing, often a bit wistful.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
plaintive cry
plaintive melody
plaintive voice
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more plaintive
- Superlative
- most plaintive
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The violin played a _____ melody.
Etymology
From Old French pleintif, "lamenting," from plainte, "complaint" — a doublet of "plaintiff."
Related words
Rhymes for plaintive
See all rhymes for plaintive →Frequently asked questions
What does “plaintive” mean?
The word “plaintive” means sounding sad, mournful, or full of longing. In plain terms, describes a sound or tone that expresses sadness or longing, often a bit wistful.
How do you pronounce “plaintive”?
“Plaintive” is pronounced PLAYN-tihv (/ˈpleɪntɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “plaintive” in a sentence?
Here is “plaintive” used in a sentence: “The violin played a plaintive melody.”
What part of speech is “plaintive”?
“Plaintive” is an adjective.
Where does the word “plaintive” come from?
The word “plaintive” comes from Old French. From Old French pleintif, "lamenting," from plainte, "complaint" — a doublet of "plaintiff.".
