From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmelancholymel‧an‧chol‧y1 /ˈmelənkəli $ -kɑːli/ adjectiveSAD/UNHAPPYvery sadThe music suited her melancholy mood.Examples from the Corpusmelancholy• He was much more content now, though melancholy about himself and what he'd come to.• It is a very beautifulinstrument, chiefly used for solo work where a melancholy and expressive tone-quality is appropriate.• This melancholycontrast brought to our Southernsensibilities a touch of sadness.• For six weeks after our arrival it rained almost continually and the wind howledmelancholydirges around our chimneys and doors.• Driving over the white woodenbridge that led to the farm, I found I was nursing an odd, melancholyexcitement.• a secretive, melancholy man• His songs were melancholy pictures of life and love and the evils of the consumerrevolution.• She smiled a knowing, somewhat melancholy smile.• the melancholytone of the poemmelancholymelancholy2 noun [uncountable]formalSAD/UNHAPPY a feeling of sadness for no particular reason → depressionHe sank into deep melancholy.Examples from the Corpusmelancholy• Jake was fourteen and suffering from adolescentmelancholy.• Jacinto, too, describes his malaise and melancholy in speechtypical of the Romantic mal du siecle.• Goya struggled with his feelings of deep melancholy.• He is rueful, polite, mildly disappointed, and afflicted by a low-keymelancholy.• Lights began to go on in the dark houses, and I relished my melancholy to the last drop.• The Grand Duke's expression slowly changed to one of melancholy.• All that accentuated the swings of mood in a man capable of intenseenjoyment but subject also to persistentmelancholy.• So now Baez, who recently turned 55, has a sense of accomplishment and relief and even some melancholy.• In a mood of bitter-sweet melancholy, I walked back to the centre of Dublin.• He was a strange man, prone to melancholy and bouts of drinking.• Alone on the open desert, I have made up songs of wild, poignantrejoicing and transcendentmelancholy.Originmelancholy2(1300-1400)Old Frenchmelancolie, from Late Latinmelancholia, from Greek, from melas"black" + chole"bile"