Düstern

Düstern is a German adjective meaning gloomy, dark, or somber. It is used to describe weather, landscapes, atmospheres, moods, or prospects that feel oppressive or foreboding. In everyday language it can appear in phrases such as eine düstere Landschaft (a gloomy landscape) or düstere Aussichten (bleak prospects). The word emphasizes a stronger sense of gloom than the more common düster.

In usage, düstern is primarily literary or formal; düster is the more frequent everyday synonym. The nuance of düstern can be a heavier, more ominous gloom, while düster can be slightly less intense or more neutral depending on context. The noun form Düsternis expresses the state of gloom or darkness.

Etymology traces düstern to Middle High German düstern, with cognates in other West Germanic languages such as Dutch duister. The root conveys darkness or gloom and underpins related terms in Germanic languages that describe a somber or dim atmosphere.

See also: düster, finster, trostlos, Düsternis.