drear etymology

Etymology:

The word "drear" comes from the Middle English word "drery," which means "sorrowful, mournful, or gloomy." It is thought to have originated from the Old English word "dreorig," which means "sad, sorrowful, or mournful."

Meaning:

The word "drear" is an adjective that means:

  • Causing or feeling sadness, gloominess, or depression
  • Cheerless, desolate, or barren
  • Forlorn, lonely, or abandoned

Origin:

The word "drear" can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic language, where it took the form dreugijaz. This word likely meant "dry" or "barren," and it is related to the German word "traurig" (sad) and the Dutch word "droevig" (sad).

Usage:

The word "drear" is often used to describe:

  • Landscapes that are desolate or barren
  • Weather conditions that are gloomy or depressing
  • Emotional states of sadness, gloominess, or loneliness

Examples:

  • "The drear expanse of the desert stretched out before us."
  • "The drear, cold rain drizzled down upon the roof."
  • "I felt a drear sense of emptiness and loneliness."

drear relate terms

  • dreary

    Etymology The word dreary is derived from the Middle English word drey which means

  • drip

    Etymology The word drip is onomatopoeic derived from the sound of liquid falling drop

  • blue

    Etymology The word blue originates from the Middle English blewe which in turn is de

  • dark

    Etymology The word dark originates from the Proto Indo European root derḱ meaning

  • dingy

    Etymology and Meaning Origin Middle English 14th century dark gloomy discolored

  • gloomy

    Etymology Middle English glomien Old English glōmian Meaning Filled with or cau

  • sorry

    Etymology From Middle English sori from Old English sārig meaning sorrowful sa

  • dismal

    Etymology The word dismal originates from the Old French word dismaler meaning to s

  • disconsolate

    Etymology Latin disconsolatus meaning deprived of consolation From dis meaning ap

  • bard

    Etymology and Origin The word bard is derived from the Old Irish word bardd which i

  • brad

    Etymology The name Brad is an abbreviated form of the name Bradford which is of Old

  • drab

    Etymology Old English drap cloth Middle English drap ultimately from Proto German