US /ˈpɛnsɪv/ UK /ˈpɛnsɪv/
adj

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    engaged in deep, often wistful or melancholy thought

    She grew pensive as the train left the old town behind.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Word family
Forms pensively
Derived forms pensivelypensiveness
Related forms pensionpensant

Etymology

From Old French pensif ('thoughtful'), from penser ('to think'), from Latin pensare ('to weigh, ponder'), frequentative of pendere ('to weigh').

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