lugubrious

adjective

lu·​gu·​bri·​ous lu̇-ˈgü-brē-əs How to pronounce lugubrious (audio)
 also  -ˈgyü-
1
: mournful
especially : exaggeratedly or affectedly (see affected entry 2 sense 1a) mournful
dark, dramatic and lugubrious brooding V. S. Pritchett
the tour de force of lugubrious cliche is ten times longer than this review Martin Amis
2
: dismal
a lugubrious landscape
lugubrious cello music
lugubriously adverb
lugubriousness noun

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Lugubrious Has Latin Roots

Lugubrious is the sole surviving English offspring of Latin lugēre, meaning "to mourn." Its closest kin, luctual, an adjective meaning "sad" or "sorrowful," was put to rest centuries ago.

Examples of lugubrious in a Sentence

a comic actor known for his lugubrious manner the diner's dim lighting makes eating there a particularly lugubrious experience
Recent Examples on the Web In one of the most creative responses, U.K. actor Christopher Tester turned Trump’s words into a highly dramatic monologue set to lugubrious music. Leslie Katz, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 The lugubrious creature surfaced next to the boat, cut across the bow, dived, then reemerged. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024 Their happy haberdashery stands in sharp contrast to their lugubrious lyrics. David Holahan, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2024 Nobody says surfing the web anymore, but at the time the phrase made sense as a description of the lugubrious, often frustrating task of finding entertainment. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lugubrious 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lugubrious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin lugubris, from lugēre to mourn; akin to Greek lygros mournful

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lugubrious was in 1585

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Dictionary Entries Near lugubrious

Cite this Entry

“Lugubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lugubrious. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lugubrious

adjective
lu·​gu·​bri·​ous lu̇-ˈgü-brē-əs How to pronounce lugubrious (audio)
 also  -ˈgyü-
: mournful sense 1
especially : exaggeratedly or insincerely mournful
lugubriously adverb
lugubriousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lugubrious

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