soulful
UK[ˈsəʊlf(ə)l]US[ˈsoʊlf(ə)l]
adj
expressing or appearing to express deep, often sad, feelings
adj
having or characterized by a quality that evokes deep feeling, especially of a melancholic or tender kind
Morpheme Breakdown
soul
ful
soul
spirit, essence
ful
full of
Etymology
the word "soulful" is a modern english formation, directly combining the native english noun "soul" with the adjectival suffix "-ful". the term "soul" itself descends from old english "sāwol" or "sāwel", which referred to the spiritual, emotional, or intellectual core of a person, a concept with proto-germanic and potentially older indo-european roots relating to life-force or binding principles. the suffix "-ful", from old english "-full", literally means "full of". therefore, the literal construction "full of soul" evolved to describe anything imbued with deep, typically poignant, feeling or emotional intensity, effectively transferring the abstract quality of inner spirit to an outward expressive character.
Analysis
Structure: soul (spirit, essence) + ful (full of)
soul (old english, noun, meaning the spiritual or immaterial part of a person); ful (old english, adjective-forming suffix, meaning "full of" or "characterized by")
Examples
the singer delivered a soulful rendition of the classic blues song.
he gave her a soulful look, his eyes filled with unspoken longing.
the instrumental piece was simple yet profoundly soulful.