plaintive

Plaintive is an adjective describing something that expresses sorrow or melancholy or has a mournful, longing quality. It is commonly used to characterize voices, sounds, music, or atmospheres that evoke sadness. A plaintive tone may be soft and yearning, rather than aggressive or cheerful. The word can apply to a single cry or note as well as to broader mood or sentiment, and it is frequently found in literary and artistic contexts. The adverb form is plaintively, used to describe how something is done.

Etymology and related terms: Plaıntive derives from Old French plainte, meaning lament, with the suffix -if indicating a quality. The Latin root planctus, meaning lamentation, is a related source. Related terms include plaint (a lament), melancholy, mournful, and elegiac. While closely associated with sorrow, plaintive often carries a gentle, plaintive charm rather than stark complaint.

Usage notes: Plaıntive is typically reserved for descriptions that emphasize sorrow or wistfulness in a way that can be perceived as expressive and aesthetically moving. It can describe music, poetry, speech, or scenes—anything that conveys a pleas for sympathy or a soft, mournful mood. In everyday use, it is more elevated or literary than everyday synonyms like sad or unhappy, and it may be contrasted with more furious or comic tones.

See also: plaint, plaintiveness, plaintively, elegiac.