Melancholy

A state of pensive sadness recognized as one of the four temperaments in ancient Greek medicine.

sadness depression gloom

Melancholy is a state of pensive sadness, typically with feelings of listlessness and low self-esteem. It was one of the four temperaments in ancient Greek medicine.

Pronunciation

/mɛlˈæŋkəli/

Etymology

It comes from Greek 'melankholía', meaning black bile, one of the four humors.

Explain Like I’m 5

Melancholy is an old idea about how people feel, like a thoughtful kind of sadness that some ancient doctors thought was linked to having too much black bile in your body.

Fun Facts

Melancholy was one of the four temperaments in ancient Greek medicine
It was associated with black bile
The term influenced art and literature

FAQ

What is melancholy? It's a state of pensive sadness
What are temperaments? Ancient Greek medicine identified four temperaments, including melancholy
Who recognized melancholy? It was recognized in ancient Greek medicine

Synonyms — Similar or Related Terms

despondency dejection sorrow

Antonyms — Opposites or Contrasts

joy happiness

Hypernyms — Broader Categories

emotion sadness

Hyponyms — Specific Examples

depression grief

Indexes

emotional state psychological concept

Built by Tim Jones