French word

morosité

Pronunciation

IPA/moʁozite/

Meaning

  • feminine noungloominess

Example

Il y a une morosité dans l'air aujourd'hui.

There is a gloominess in the air today.

Illustration for morosité (gloominess)

More examples

Son sourire a disparu, laissant place à la morosité.

His smile vanished, giving way to gloom.

Core concept

A once lively place feels dimmed, as if low spirits have spread through the air.

Common phrases

  • climat de morosité

    an atmosphere of gloom

Similar words

tristesse: A subdued feeling of sorrow and quiet emotional distress.
déprime: A short-lived spell of low spirits or diminished drive.
dépression: A prolonged and severe low mood that may meet clinical criteria.
mélancolie: A reflective sadness with a lingering, wistful quality.

Definition in French

État d'esprit mélancolique et pesant, marqué par un manque d'entrain; s'emploie aussi pour une atmosphère morne.

Word origin

French morosité derives from morose plus -ité; morose comes from Latin morosus, so the noun names the quality associated with being morose.

Usage tips

  • The word has a somewhat formal or written tone and can describe a gloomy atmosphere, not specifically a clinical depressive disorder.

Other meanings

  • melancholynoun
  • dejectionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • morosemoroseadjective

Word lists with this word