Spanish Conversation · Level 162
29 words
Spanish word
melancolía
Pronunciation
IPA/melaŋkoˈlia/
Meaning
- feminine nounmelancholy
Example
Siento melancolía hoy.
I feel melancholy today.
More examples
La música me provocó melancolía.
The music made me feel melancholy.
Core concept
Gentle nostalgia that colors the mood.
Common phrases
sentir melancolía
feel melancholy
una ola de melancolía
a wave of melancholy
estado de melancolía
state of melancholy
Similar words
tristeza: General, plain sadness or unhappiness.
añoranza: Bittersweet longing for people or times from the past.
desánimo: Low energy and loss of motivation.
pesar: Deep, heavy sorrow over a serious loss or grave event.
Definition in Spanish
Tendencia a experimentar pena suave ligada a los recuerdos o a la añoranza, que tiñe el ánimo sin incapacitarlo.
Word origin
From Greek melankholía (melan "black" + kholé "bile") through Latin melancholia, its meaning shifts from a medical humoral diagnosis to a soft, evocative sadness.
Usage tips
- In conversation speakers commonly use sentir melancolía or estar melancólico/a rather than the bare noun, which keeps a slightly literary tone.
Other meanings
- wistfulnessnoun
Related words
- melancólicomelancholicadjective
- melancólicamentemelancholicallyadverb