Word of the Day… not actually daily, but whenever I encounter one I think worth sharing and there are not too many on my landing page. Words have always fascinated me, and I am a fan of all types of word play, especially puns. I have a hard time not looking up a word that I am unfamiliar with or not sure of the definition. I like those authors that stretch me by throwing in unexpected terms.
- Noun: Weltschmerz
- mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state
- a mood of sentimental sadness
- Note: Another word we borrowed from German and that we never gave back. Ranks up there with schadenfreude for me. A word I learned twice. Once from one of my brothers attempting to show off his erudition, although it was the mot juste for that moment. And a second time from Mr. Sikeston who loves trivia.
- Synonyms:
- ennui
- tiredness
- weariness
- apathy
- melancholy
- doldrums
- dispiritedness
- Encountered: While watching an offering from Great Courses Plus , one on vocabulary, go figure.
- Usage: When I asked daNet to use it in a sentence, I got this:
“After reading the news, she was overcome with a profound sense of weltschmerz, a deep melancholy for the world’s suffering and imperfections that felt too heavy to bear. “
Which is pretty much where I am these days. It depresses me so that as individuals, some of us, at least part of time, can be so noble, but as a species we are so incredibly stupid, base and at times downright evil. Of course, going back to my biology degree, the job a species is to propagate itself. We have done an incredible job of that, actually too good.
To see more Words of the Day, visit this link: Words of the Day