atrabilarious en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌætɹəbɪˈlɛəɹi.əs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˌætɹəbəˈlɛɹi.əs/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Latin ātrabīlārius.
Meanings
- (historical) Pertaining to black bile.
-
Characterized by melancholy or gloom.
This gentleman was naturally of an atrabilarious temperament, and much troubled with those phantoms of indigestion which are commonly called blue devils.
1818, Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey, section I:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most atrabilarious | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more atrabilarious | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |