lugubriousness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English lugubrious Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English lugubriousness From lugubrious + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable) The property of being lugubrious.
The neighborhood appealed to me, particularly at night when the full squalor and lugubriousness of it made itself felt.
1934, Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer:If you have never beheld or heard a bassoon you are to understand that it is an instrument of wood, of considerable more length than breadth, provided with numerous stops and keys, and capable of producing an infinite variety of tones, ranging from the depth of lugubriousness to the highest pitch of vivacity.
1896, Eugene Field, “The Platonic Bassoon”, in The Holy Cross and Other Tales, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 198:It is a little difficult for the present generation to gain a clear conception of the New England Sabbath of the time of my boyhood; but this outline at least will give a general impression of its lugubriousness, and it may readily be inferred that the day thus given over to dolorous tasks was not one to which the child would look forward joyously.
1915, Luther Burbank, chapter 1, in Luther Burbank: His Methods and Discoveries, Their Practical Application, volume 12, New York: Luther Burbank Press, page 29:He didn’t have the Hindu delight in tragedy and the details of death, and he had often asked Shama not to sing this cremation song. Now he had to listen while she sang with sweet lugubriousness to the end.
1961, V. S. Naipaul, A House for Mr Biswas, Vintage International, published 2001, Part One, Chapter 4: