ennui

Ennui is a French loanword used in English to describe a profound, lingering feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction with life, often accompanied by a sense of existential meaninglessness. It goes beyond ordinary boredom, arising from a perceived lack of purpose, stimulation, or moral direction, and can be coupled with melancholy, longing, or apathy.

Origin and usage: The term comes from French ennuier, meaning to bore or weary, with the noun ennui denoting the state thus produced. In English, it appeared in translations and literary criticism from the 19th century onward.

Literary and philosophical contexts: Ennui is a central theme in 19th-century French literature, associated with the malaise of modern urban life. Writers such as Charles Baudelaire, Gustave Flaubert, and later Marcel Proust use it to explore alienation, desire for meaning, and the depreciation of social conventions. In existentialist thought, ennui appears as a precursor to anxiety and authenticity.

In culture and psychology: The mood has influenced music, visual arts, and cinema, often depicting characters who search for meaning or who respond with irony or cynicism. In psychology, ennui is not a formal diagnostic term, but it overlaps with symptoms of depression or chronic disillusionment, particularly in contexts of environmental or social stagnation.