Melancholy is a feeling of deep sadness or pensive sadness, often with no obvious cause. It can also describe a mood or atmosphere that is mournful or reflective, sometimes tinged with nostalgia. The term conveys a quieter, more introspective sorrow than overt grief, and is frequently used in literary or artistic contexts.
"The gray drizzle and the empty street gave him a sense of melancholy as he wandered home."
"Her music carries a melancholy beauty that lingers long after the last note."
"The novel’s melancholy tone reflects a character’s lost youth and missed chances."
"During the ceremony, a quiet melancholy settled over the room as memories were revisited."
Melancholy comes from Middle English melancholie, borrowed from Old French melancholie, ultimately from Latin melancholia, and from Greek melancholia. The Greek term combines melas ‘black’ with khole ‘bile’ (chole), reflecting the ancient humoral theory that an excess of black bile caused sadness. The Latin adoption preserved the root elements: mela- (black) + kholē (bile). In medieval and early modern medicine, melancholy was one of the four humors believed to dictate temperament. Over time, the word’s sense shifted from a medical diagnosis to a generalized mood descriptor in literature and everyday usage, preserving the clinical cue while emphasizing existential introspection rather than a specific pathology. First known uses appear in Latin medical texts and early medieval translations; in English, melancholy is attested by the 14th century, later becoming a common poetic and psychological descriptor that signals a somber, reflective mood with a cultivated nuance. By the 18th–19th centuries, it also took on artistic overtones, describing a moody, aesthetically refined sorrow rather than a clinical condition. Today, melancholy remains a versatile, nuanced term used in prose, poetry, and music to convey a tempered, contemplative sadness.
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Words that rhyme with "Melancholy"
-lly sounds
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Pronunciation: /ˌmel.ənˈkɒl.i/ (UK) or /ˌmel.ənˈkɔː.li/ (US, US close to /ˌmɛlənˈkɑli/). Primary stress on the third syllable ‘kol’, with a secondary stress on the second syllable in many dialects: mel-ən-CHOL-y. Start with a light, unstressed first syllable /ˈmɛl/ or /ˈmɛlən/ depending on accent, then glide into /ˈkɒl/ or /ˈkɔːl/ with rounded lips for /ɔː/ in US. Finish with a light /i/ as in ‘ee’. Audio reference: imagine saying ‘mel’ + ‘lən’ + ‘chol’ + ‘y’.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, pronouncing as mel-AN-chol-y with wrong third-syllable emphasis; 2) Tiring the first syllable into a long /eɪ/ like ‘mell-’ instead of /ˈmɛl/; 3) Slurring the /l/ or turning /chol/ into /tʃoʊ/ or /koʊ/; correction: keep /ˈmel/ crisp, use a clear /k/ before /ə/ or /ɒl/. Keep the final /i/ light, not a full vowel. Practice with IPA cues and syllable-timed rhythm.
In US English, you’ll typically hear /ˌmɛlənˈkoʊli/ or /ˌmɛlənˈkɔli/ with clearer /koʊ/ or /kɔ/. UK English often uses /ˌmel.ənˈkɒl.i/ with short /ɒ/ around ‘kol’, and non-rhotic r-lessness; AU is similar to UK but with more vowel shift in /ɒ/ vs /ɔ:/, sometimes edging toward /ˌmelənˈkɒli/ with a flatter ending. Across all, main stress on the third syllable; rhotics vary by accent. Medium-fast connected speech will reduce vowels slightly but keep /k/ and /l/ crisp.
The difficulty comes from the three-syllable structure with a mid word consonant cluster /k/ and /l/ adjacent, plus a secondary stress pattern that isn’t always predictable in rapid speech. The sequence -ch(-o)ly can trigger mispronunciations where /k/ or /l/ blends with a light /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ vowel. The unstressed vowels (the schwa in /ˌmelənˈkoʊli/) require careful reduction without obscuring the main /koʊ/ or /kɔː/ chunk. IPA guidance helps anchor the timing and articulation.
No. The spelling includes an ‘e’ that participates in the first syllable, contributing to the /ˈmɛl/ sound. It isn’t silent like some English spellings. The syllable structure is three syllables with the first close to /ˈmɛl/ and the final syllable endings /li/. Ensure you vocalize the near-e, not skip it, to maintain the proper vowel quality in the first syllable.
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