pensive en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English pensif, pensyfe, pencyve, from Old French pensif (“thoughtful”), from penser (“to think”) (from Latin pēnsō) + -if (English -ive).
Meanings
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Engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.
He sat in pensive silence, weighing his options carefully.
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Having the appearance of deep, often melancholic, thinking.
The author’s tone grows pensive in the final chapters.
[T]he donkey, pensive, with bowed head, twitching his ears from time to time, thinking the tempest of stones had not yet ended and was still falling around his head […].
Part 1 published in 1605, Part 2 in 1615, translated in 2003, Miguel de Cervantes and translated by Edith Grossman, Don Quixote, page 172:
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Looking thoughtful, especially from sadness.
Through the deep grass the faces of the three children glowed like pensive moons.
1979, J.G. Ballard, The Unlimited Dream Company, chapter 21:Abstruse thought and profound researches I prohibit, and will severely punish, by the pensive melancholy which they introduce
1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 4:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most pensive | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more pensive | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
thoughtless · unreflective · carefree
Deriveds
overpensive · pensiveness · pensively
Relateds
Synonyms
wistful · reflective · thoughtful · contemplative · meditative
Translations (87)
ar فِكِّير (having the appearance of thinking) · fr pensif (having the appearance of thinking) · de sinnig (looking thoughtful or sad) · mi whakamoemoeā (having the appearance of thinking) · uk заду́мливий (having the appearance of thinking) · no ettertenksom (having the appearance of thinking) · es pensativo (looking thoughtful or sad) · sv tankfull (looking thoughtful or sad) · hi ध्यानमग्न (having the appearance of thinking) · pt pensativo (having the appearance of thinking) · cs zadumaný (looking thoughtful or sad) · fr mélancolique (looking thoughtful or sad) · hi मननशील (looking thoughtful or sad) · it pensieroso (looking thoughtful or sad) · ota طالغین (having the appearance of thinking) · ar مُتَأَمِّل (having the appearance of thinking) · cs zadumaný (having the appearance of thinking) · uk заду́мливий (looking thoughtful or sad) · cs zahloubaný (having the appearance of thinking) · ko 수심(愁心) 어린 (looking thoughtful or sad) · da eftertænksom (looking thoughtful or sad) · az dalğın (having the appearance of thinking) · ru заду́мчивый (having the appearance of thinking) · eo pensema (having the appearance of thinking) · enm sad (looking thoughtful or sad) · no tankefull (looking thoughtful or sad) · ru размышля́ющий (having the appearance of thinking) · ar مُفَكِّر (having the appearance of thinking) · ca pensatiu (having the appearance of thinking) · es amohinado (looking thoughtful or sad) · da tungsindig (looking thoughtful or sad) · hi मुतफ़क्किर (having the appearance of thinking) · it estraniato (having the appearance of thinking) · ca pensatiu (looking thoughtful or sad) · de gedankenvoll (having the appearance of thinking) · es meditabundo (having the appearance of thinking) · es meditabundo (looking thoughtful or sad) · cs zamyšlený (having the appearance of thinking) · cs zádumčivý (having the appearance of thinking) · bg тъжен (looking thoughtful or sad) · ro gânditor (having the appearance of thinking) · no tankefull (having the appearance of thinking) · ru гру́стный (looking thoughtful or sad) · hi चिंतामग्न (having the appearance of thinking) · hi चिंतनशील (having the appearance of thinking) · fr chagrin (looking thoughtful or sad) · ast pensatible (having the appearance of thinking) · de in Gedanken versunken (having the appearance of thinking) · de gedankenverloren (having the appearance of thinking) · no ettertenksom (looking thoughtful or sad) · az fikirli (having the appearance of thinking) · ar مُسْتَغْرِق بِالْأَفْكَار (having the appearance of thinking) · de gedankenverloren (looking thoughtful or sad) · fa پکر (looking thoughtful or sad) · hi विषादग्रस्त (having the appearance of thinking) · fi mietteliäs (having the appearance of thinking) · enm sad (having the appearance of thinking) · sv fundersam (having the appearance of thinking) · da tankefuld (having the appearance of thinking) · hi विचारमग्न (having the appearance of thinking) · de nachdenklich (looking thoughtful or sad) · de nachdenklich (having the appearance of thinking) · bg замислен (having the appearance of thinking) · eo pripensema (looking thoughtful or sad) · it pensoso (having the appearance of thinking) · et mõtlik (having the appearance of thinking) · fr pensif (looking thoughtful or sad) · fi mietteliäs (looking thoughtful or sad) · de traurig dreinblickend (looking thoughtful or sad) · it pensieroso (having the appearance of thinking) · sv fundersam (looking thoughtful or sad) · es pensativo (having the appearance of thinking) · it meditabondo (having the appearance of thinking) · it cogitabondo (having the appearance of thinking) · sh zàmišljen (having the appearance of thinking) · sh zàmišljen (looking thoughtful or sad) · it contemplativo (having the appearance of thinking) · hi मननशील (having the appearance of thinking) · ro îngândurat (having the appearance of thinking) · hi विषण्ण (having the appearance of thinking) · hi चिंतनशील (looking thoughtful or sad) · ru печа́льный (looking thoughtful or sad) · es melancólico (looking thoughtful or sad) · pl zamyślony (having the appearance of thinking) · pl zadumany (having the appearance of thinking) · da eftertænksom (having the appearance of thinking) · pt pensativo (looking thoughtful or sad)