mournful
UK[ˈmɔːnfl]US[ˈmɔːrnfl]
adj
Feeling, expressing, or inducing sadness, grief, or sorrow.
adj
Having a sound, appearance, or character that suggests sadness.
Morpheme Breakdown
mourn
ful
mourn
to feel grief
ful
full of
Etymology
The word 'mournful' is a transparent English compound built from the native Germanic verb 'mourn' and the adjectival suffix '-ful'. The root 'mourn' descends from the Old English murnan, meaning to grieve or be sorrowful, which itself can be traced back to a Proto-Indo-European root suggesting remembrance or anxious thought. The suffix '-ful', from Old English -ful, literally means "full of." Therefore, the literal construction "full of mourning" directly and logically yields the modern abstract sense of being characterized by or expressing deep sadness and grief.
Analysis
Structure: mourn (to feel grief) + ful (full of)
- mourn: From Old English murnan (to feel sorrow, grieve, be anxious), of Germanic origin.
- ful: A suffix from Old English -ful, used to form adjectives meaning "full of" or "characterized by."
Examples
The mournful sound of the cello filled the concert hall.
She had a mournful expression as she watched the train depart.
The dog let out a long, mournful howl at the moon.