dejected
UK[dɪˈdʒɛktɪd]US[dɪˈdʒɛktɪd]
adj
Sad and depressed; dispirited.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
ject
ed
de
down
ject
throw
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'dejected' has a vivid metaphorical origin in Latin. It derives from the Latin verb deicere, meaning "to throw down," which is a compound of de- ("down") and iacere ("to throw"). The past participle form, deiectus, meaning "cast down," was adopted into Middle English. The literal sense of being physically cast down evolved into the psychological and emotional meaning. Thus, the modern abstract sense of feeling sad or dispirited perfectly captures the image of one's spirits being metaphorically "thrown down."
Analysis
Structure: de (down) + ject (throw) + ed (adjective suffix)
- de: A Latin prefix meaning "down, away, off, completely." It indicates reversal or removal.
- ject: From Latin iacere, meaning "to throw, to cast." This root appears in many English words.
- ed: A common English suffix used to form adjectives from verbs or nouns, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
After losing the championship match, the team walked off the field looking utterly dejected.
She felt dejected when her application was rejected for the third time.
His dejected expression made it clear the news was not good.