melancholic

adjective

mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌme-lən-ˈkä-lik How to pronounce melancholic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed
2
: of or relating to melancholia
3
: tending to depress the spirits : saddening
melancholic noun

Examples of melancholic in a Sentence

she becomes quite melancholic when she reflects on all the lost opportunities of her life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The melancholic pop-rock of the title track showcases the group’s strong vocals and has already earned some long-overdue domestic success. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025 Tsypkin’s account of dramatic summer of gambling and deathbed prayers is accompanied by his own melancholic photographs of nondescript walls and windows, taken on a research trip to Leningrad. Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 Stephen Frears’s Gothic drama is, to be fair, rather watchable — atmospheric and melancholic, with John Malkovich clearly getting a kick out of chewing any and all available scenery. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 By bringing together the melancholic romance of Victorian Gothic, the spirit of the original subculture, and contemporary makeup trends, Jalalvand's look for Wednesday made the goth sensibility more accessible. Sophia Panych, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for melancholic

Word History

Etymology

Middle English malencolic, melancolyk "consisting of or caused by black bile, irascible, gloomy," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French melancolique, borrowed from Latin melancholicus, borrowed from Greek melancholikós, from melancholía "black bile, melancholy entry 1" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of melancholic was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Melancholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melancholic. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

melancholic

1 of 2 adjective
mel·​an·​chol·​ic ˌmel-ən-ˈkäl-ik How to pronounce melancholic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or subject to melancholy : depressed
2
: of or relating to melancholia

melancholic

2 of 2 noun
1
: a melancholy person
2

More from Merriam-Webster on melancholic

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