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melancholy

[/ˈmeləŋkəli/]
adjective, nounfeminine (when used as noun in Portuguese)pl: melancholies (noun)
melancolia
1. A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause
The melancholy autumn weather made her reflective.
O tempo de outono melancólico a deixou pensativa.
2. Thoughtfully sad; expressing or suggesting sadness or depression
He had a melancholy expression on his face.
Ele tinha uma expressão melancólica no rosto.
3. A constitutional tendency to sadness (archaic medical term)
In medieval times, melancholy was considered one of the four humors.
Na Idade Média, a melancolia era considerada um dos quatro humores.
Synonyms
sadnesssorrowgloomdespondencypensivenesswistfulness
Antonyms
joyhappinesscheerfulnessexuberancegaiety

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
melancolia
Most common usage, equivalent to standard Portuguese
Rio de Janeiro
melancolia
No significant regional variation
São Paulo
melancolia
No significant regional variation
Portugal
melancolia
Identical usage; sometimes spelled 'melancolia' in older texts

Related Idioms & Phrases

a fit of melancholy
melancholy disposition
melancholy temperament
autumn melancholy
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