plaintive
/ˈpleɪntɪv/ adjective
Synonyms
miserable unhappy cheerless comfortless bleak dark morose depressing desolate dire disconsolate dismal doleful dolesome drear drearisome dreary dreich forlorn gayless mournful
Etymology
From Middle English pleintif, plentyff, from Old French pleintif (“aggrieved, lamenting”) (whence modern French plaintif), from plainte (“lament, complaint”); see plaint. Doublet of plaintiff.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Repining; complaining; lamenting. Dryden.
- adjective Expressive of sorrow or melancholy; mournful; sad. "The most plaintive ditty." Landor.
Etymology [F. plaintif. See Plaintiff, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “plaintive”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details