Melancholia

Pronunciation: /ˌmel.ənˈkoʊ.li.ə/

Definitions of melancholia

noun a mental condition characterized by extreme depression, bodily complaints, and often hallucinations and delusions

Example Sentences

A1 She felt a deep sense of melancholia after saying goodbye to her friends.

A2 The rainy weather only added to his melancholia as he walked home alone.

B1 His melancholia seemed to lift when he started painting again.

B2 The character in the novel was consumed by a profound sense of melancholia.

C1 The artist's work was often inspired by his experiences with melancholia.

C2 Despite his success, he could not shake off the lingering melancholia that haunted him.

Examples of melancholia in a Sentence

formal The protagonist in the novel is consumed by a deep sense of melancholia throughout the story.

informal After the breakup, she fell into a state of melancholia and couldn't stop crying.

slang I'm feeling so down today, just drowning in melancholia.

figurative The gray clouds hanging low in the sky matched the melancholia in her heart.

Grammatical Forms of melancholia

• past tense: melancholied
• plural: melancholias
• comparative: more melancholic
• superlative: most melancholic
• present tense: melancholias
• future tense: will melancholia
• perfect tense: have melancholiaed
• continuous tense: is melancholiaing
• singular: melancholia
• positive degree: melancholic
• infinitive: to melancholia
• gerund: melancholiaing
• participle: melancholiaed

Origin and Evolution of melancholia

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'melancholia' has its origins in ancient Greek medicine, where it was believed to be caused by an excess of black bile in the body.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the understanding of melancholia evolved from being a medical condition related to bodily humors to a broader term encompassing a state of deep sadness or depression.