doleful
UK: ˈdəʊlfʊl | US: ˈdoʊlfəl
adj. expressing sorrow; mournful
adj. causing sadness or gloom
doleful = dole<sorrow> + ful<full of>
- dole (from Old French dol, meaning "grief," derived from Latin dolus, "pain" or "sorrow")
- ful (a suffix meaning "full of" or "characterized by," from Old English -ful)
Etymology Origin:
The word doleful combines dole, an archaic term for sorrow rooted in Latin dolus, with the suffix -ful, which intensifies the sense of being filled with that emotion. Originally used in Middle English, it paints a vivid picture of deep, lingering sadness—akin to being "full of grief." Over time, dole faded from common usage, but doleful endured as a poetic descriptor for melancholy.
The doleful melody brought tears to the audience.
She wore a doleful expression after hearing the bad news.
The abandoned house had a doleful atmosphere.
His doleful eyes reflected years of hardship.
The dog let out a doleful whine when left alone.