sorrowful
UK: ˈsɒrəʊf(ə)l | US: ˈsɑːroʊf(ə)l
adj. feeling or expressing sadness or grief
adj. causing or characterized by sorrow
sorrowful = sorrow<sadness> + ful<full of>
- sorrow: From Old English sorg (grief, care), derived from Proto-Germanic surgō. Retained its core meaning of deep sadness.
- ful: A suffix from Old English -full (full of), used to form adjectives indicating abundance or possession of a quality.
Etymology Origin:
The word sorrowful combines the Old English root sorrow, rooted in ancient expressions of grief, with the productive suffix -ful, which transforms nouns into adjectives. This pairing logically creates a term meaning "full of sorrow," reflecting a straightforward yet evocative linguistic construction.
She gave a sorrowful sigh after hearing the tragic news.
His sorrowful eyes revealed the pain he couldn’t express.
The song’s sorrowful melody moved the audience to tears.
The old letters painted a sorrowful picture of wartime separation.
Despite her sorrowful mood, she managed a faint smile.