n.
Pronunciation: ' me-l ə n- ˌ kä-l ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -chol · ies
Etymology: Middle English malencolie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek, from melan- + chol ē bile ― more at GALL
Date: 14th century
1 a : an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression b : BLACK BILE c : MELANCHOLIA
2 a : depression of spirits : DEJECTION b : a pensive mood