mournful

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From mourn +‎ -ful.

Pronunciation

Adjective

mournful (comparative mournfuller or more mournful, superlative mournfullest or most mournful)

  1. Filled with grief or sadness; being in a state in which one mourns.
    Synonyms: miserable, sorrowful; see also Thesaurus:sad
  2. Fit to inspire mourning; tragic.
    Synonyms: pitiful, rueful; see also Thesaurus:lamentable
    • 1845, Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher:
      Having deposited our mournful burden upon tressels within this region of horror, we partially turned aside the yet unscrewed lid of the coffin, and looked upon the face of the tenant.

Translations