melancholy
Meaning
A feeling of deep sadness with no obvious cause.
Causing or expressing a feeling of deep, thoughtful sadness.
Structure
Usage
A deep melancholy settled over him as he watched the sunset.
She was charmed by the melancholy beauty of the abandoned garden.
The song's melancholy melody perfectly captured the mood of the film.
Etymology
The word 'melancholy' originates from the ancient medical theory of the four humors, which held that human health and temperament were governed by four bodily fluids. It is a direct borrowing from Medieval Latin melancholia, itself from Greek melankholia, literally meaning "black bile" (melas "black" + kholē "bile"). An excess of black bile was believed to cause a persistent state of despondency and sadness. Over centuries, the term shed its purely physiological context and evolved into its modern abstract meaning, denoting a pensive, profound, and often lingering sadness.
Analysis
'melan' is from Greek melas (genitive melanos), meaning "black, dark." 'choly' is an Anglicized form from Greek kholē, meaning "bile."