Plaintiveness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of expressing sorrow or melancholy through sound or expression ; the state of being mournful or wistful in tone or manner ; a feeling or atmosphere marked by sadness or a longing for something lost
2. The characteristic of conveying grief or plaintive emotion in voice or attitude ; an emotional condition of sadness or gentle complaint ; an impression of plaintive yearning or sorrowfulness
3. A mood or style that reflects sadness or lamentation in speech or behavior ; an affective state of gentle suffering or heartache ; the presence of mournful or melancholic expression in communication

Etymology: Plaintiveness is a plain English construction: the adjective "plaintive" with the suffix "-ness", which turns a quality into a noun meaning "the state or quality of being plaintive." The suffix has a long lineage of its own. It descends from an ancient Germanic element that formed abstract nouns, passing through Old English "-nes" and Middle English "-nesse" before settling into the modern form. The adjective it builds on, "plaintive," is the more interesting half. It came into English from Old French "plaintif," which traces back to Latin roots meaning to complain or lament. Over time it narrowed from a general sense of complaining toward the softer, wistful sadness it carries now, so a plaintive tune or cry suggests grief that is more mournful than angry.

Synonyms: melancholy, sadness, mournfulness, lamentation, sorrow

Antonyms: happiness, joy, cheerfulness, contentment