elegiac

adjective

ele·gi·ac ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək How to pronounce elegiac (audio)

-ˌak,

also i-ˈlē-jē-ˌak

variants or less commonly elegiacal

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-kəl How to pronounce elegiac (audio)

: of, relating to, or consisting of two dactylic hexameter lines the second of which lacks the arsis in the third and sixth feet

b(1)

: written in or consisting of elegiac couplets

(2)

: noted for having written poetry in such couplets

: of or relating to the period in Greece about the seventh century b.c. when poetry written in such couplets flourished

: of, relating to, or comprising elegy or an elegy

especially : expressing sorrow often for something now past

an elegiac lament for departed youth

elegiac noun

elegiacally

ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce elegiac (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

Elegiac was borrowed into English in the 16th century from Late Latin elagiacus, which in turn derives from Greek elegeiakos. Elegeiakos traces back to the Greek word for "elegiac couplet," which was elegeion. It is no surprise, then, that the earliest meaning of elegiac referred to such poetic couplets. These days, of course, the word is also used to describe anything sorrowful or nostalgic. As you may have guessed, another descendant of elegeion in English is elegy, which in its oldest sense refers to a poem in elegiac couplets, and now can equally refer to a somewhat broader range of laments for something or someone that is now lost.

Example Sentences

the sight of an old ruined church or castle can be a pleasantly elegiac experience

Recent Examples on the Web Hoffs and Martin intertwined their voices, stripping the sweet lament to a gorgeously elegiac place.

Alex Suskind, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2020 The scale of Alan Yang’s heartfelt debut feature is human, its tone elegiac.

Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 10 Apr. 2020 These elegiac images, and the accompanying stories and videos, show us what silence looks like.

Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2020 Vitalina Varela’ is socially conscious, but dreamlike, elegiac.

Mark Olsenstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2020 The language is more elegiac, almost mystical, though as precise as ever.

Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2020 Sciolino reaches the right elegiac note in her afterword.

Debra Bruno, Washington Post, 6 Dec. 2019 Now, four years later, Joe Biden's bid for the White House has taken on almost an elegiac air.

Susan Page, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2020 Norman F–king Rockwell was beautiful, elegiac and witty, the culmination of Del Rey’s many years exploring her sad-Americana style.

Raisa Bruner, Time, 22 Jan. 2020 See More

单词	elegiacs
释义	elegiac adjective ele·gi·ac ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ək -ˌak, also i-ˈlē-jē-ˌak variants or less commonly elegiacal ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-kəl 1 a : of, relating to, or consisting of two dactylic hexameter lines the second of which lacks the arsis in the third and sixth feet b(1) : written in or consisting of elegiac couplets (2) : noted for having written poetry in such couplets c : of or relating to the period in Greece about the seventh century b.c. when poetry written in such couplets flourished 2 : of, relating to, or comprising elegy or an elegy especially : expressing sorrow often for something now past an elegiac lament for departed youth elegiac noun elegiacally ˌe-lə-ˈjī-ə-k(ə-)lē adverb Did you know? Elegiac was borrowed into English in the 16th century from Late Latin elagiacus, which in turn derives from Greek elegeiakos. Elegeiakos traces back to the Greek word for "elegiac couplet," which was elegeion. It is no surprise, then, that the earliest meaning of elegiac referred to such poetic couplets. These days, of course, the word is also used to describe anything sorrowful or nostalgic. As you may have guessed, another descendant of elegeion in English is elegy, which in its oldest sense refers to a poem in elegiac couplets, and now can equally refer to a somewhat broader range of laments for something or someone that is now lost. Synonyms black bleak cheerless chill Cimmerian cloudy cold comfortless dark darkening depressing depressive desolate dire disconsolate dismal drear dreary dreich [chiefly Scottish] forlorn funereal gloomy glum godforsaken gray grey lonely lonesome lugubrious miserable morbid morose murky plutonian saturnine sepulchral solemn somber sombre sullen sunless tenebrific tenebrous wretched See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the sight of an old ruined church or castle can be a pleasantly elegiac experience Recent Examples on the Web Hoffs and Martin intertwined their voices, stripping the sweet lament to a gorgeously elegiac place. Alex Suskind, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2020 The scale of Alan Yang’s heartfelt debut feature is human, its tone elegiac. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 10 Apr. 2020 These elegiac images, and the accompanying stories and videos, show us what silence looks like. Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2020 Vitalina Varela’ is socially conscious, but dreamlike, elegiac. Mark Olsenstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2020 The language is more elegiac, almost mystical, though as precise as ever. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2020 Sciolino reaches the right elegiac note in her afterword. Debra Bruno, Washington Post, 6 Dec. 2019 Now, four years later, Joe Biden's bid for the White House has taken on almost an elegiac air. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2020 Norman F–king Rockwell was beautiful, elegiac and witty, the culmination of Del Rey’s many years exploring her sad-Americana style. Raisa Bruner, Time, 22 Jan. 2020 See More Word History Etymology Late Latin elegiacus, from Greek elegeiakos, from elegeion First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 elegiacs noun plural of elegiac as in elegies Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance elegies monodies dirges taps requiems laments threnodies Antonyms & Near Antonyms panegyrics eulogies paeans encomiums encomia
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elegiac

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun