saturnine

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈsætərnaɪn/ UK /ˈsætənaɪn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
gloomy, sullen, or grave in temperament or appearance

His saturnine expression silenced the cheerful chatter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · gloomy, sullen, or grave in... gloomy sullen morose dour glum melancholy sombre

Opposites

sanguine cheerful jovial sunny

Word family

Derived forms saturninelysaturninity

Related forms saturnsaturnian

Simplified etymology

Saturnine derives from the name of the planet Saturn. In medieval astrology, Saturn represented lead, and people born under its influence were expected to be gloomy, sluggish, and cold. The planet itself was named after the Roman god Saturn, the equivalent of the Greek Cronus or Kronos.

Etymology

From Middle English, from Medieval Latin Saturninus ('of Saturn'), from Saturnus; in astrology those born under the planet Saturn were thought to be cold, grave, and gloomy.

Saturnus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# saturnine

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈsætərnaɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsætənaɪn/

## Meanings
1. gloomy, sullen, or grave in temperament or appearance

## Examples
- His saturnine expression silenced the cheerful chatter.

## Synonyms
- gloomy
- sullen
- morose
- dour
- glum
- melancholy
- sombre

## Antonyms
- sanguine
- cheerful
- jovial
- sunny

## Derived Forms
- saturninely
- saturninity

## Related Forms
- saturn
- saturnian

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: Saturnus

## Etymology
From Middle English, from Medieval Latin Saturninus ('of Saturn'), from Saturnus; in astrology those born under the planet Saturn were thought to be cold, grave, and gloomy.

## AI Etymology
Saturnine comes from Middle English, from Medieval Latin Saturninus ('of Saturn'), from Saturnus; in astrology those born under the planet Saturn were thought to be cold, grave, and gloomy. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "gloomy, sullen, or grave in temperament or appearance", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin Saturnus. Derivative forms include saturninely, saturninity; related words include saturn, saturnian.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown