Chagrin

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈʃæɡ.ɹɪn/

Definitions

1. A feeling of annoyance, embarrassment, or disappointment caused by humiliation or failure
2. A state of vexation and mortification arising from wounded pride or thwarted expectations
3. Acute displeasure mixed with shame that results from being disappointed or made to feel foolish

Etymology: The most striking thing about "chagrin" is that its opening sound may be a cat. Scholars suggest the first syllable could echo Old French "chat" ("cat"), imagining people lamenting or yowling like cats, a idea supported by German "Katzenjammer", literally "cat-wailing," which also means distress or depression. Nobody can prove it, though, and the source admits the initial syllable is obscure. The main line of descent runs through Old French "graigne" ("sadness, resentment, grief") and "greignier", "to cringe, growl, be sullen, or grieve," which are related to Old High German "gram" ("furious, gloomy, grieved"). Over time these forms were reshaped into the Middle French "chagrin" ("pain, affliction"), which passed into English in the sense of sorrow. A rival theory links the word to "chagrin" meaning a roughened leather, from a Turkish word for an animal's rump, with roughness as the metaphor. The alteration from "s" to "ch" is probably due to influence from the sorrow sense. Because of the murky history, the feeling of embarrassment is a later development from the older sense of grief.

Synonyms: embarrassment, disappointment, annoyance, dismay, vexation

Antonyms: delight, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, contentment