[Middle English melancolie, from Old French, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melankholi : mels, melan-, black + khol, bile; see ghel-² in Indo-European Roots.]

mel·an·chol·y (mln-kl)
n.

1. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom: “There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass” (Charles Kuralt).

melancholy \Mel"an*chol*y\, n. [OE. melancolie, F. m['e]lancolie, L. melancholia, fr. Gr. ?; me`las, -anos, black + ? gall, bile. See Malice, and 1st Gall.] 1. Depression of spirits; a gloomy state continuing a considerable time; deep dejection; gloominess. --Shak.

A pretty, melancholy seat, well wooded and watered. --Evelin.

melancholy adj : characterized by or causing or expressing sadness; "growing more melancholy every hour"; "her melancholic smile"; "we acquainted him with the melancholy truth" [syn: melancholic] n 1: a feeling of thoughtful sadness 2: a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed 3: a humor that was once believed to be secreted by the kidneys or spleen and to cause sadness and melancholy [syn: black bile]

``Hail, divinest Melancholy !'' --Milton.

[meow?][enter melincolie pie]

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