Where does “melancholic” come from?
Melancholic comes from Ancient Greek μελαγχολικός, derived from μελαγχολία combining μέλας "black" and χολή "bile," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots melh₂- and mel-.
melancholic (English): Filled with or affected by melancholy—great...
Definitions
- Filled with or affected by melancholy—great...
Ancestry of “melancholic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | melancholicus | having black bile, atrabilious, melancholy |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | μελαγχολικός | atrabilious, impulsive, of atrabilious or... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | μελαγχολία | melancholy, atrabiliousness |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μελάγχολος | dipped in black bile |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | χόλος | gall, bile |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | χολή | gall, bile; gall bladder; bitterness, wrath,... |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | kʰolā́ | gall, bile |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰolh₃-éh₂ | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰelh₃- | to flourish; green, yellow |