Weltschmerz
/ˈvɛltˌʃmɛrts/
der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)
Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.
Meaning
-
world-weariness, a melancholy disillusionment with the state of the world
Coined in the German Romantic era; borrowed into English wholesale, much like Schadenfreude.
Made of
- Welt world
- Schmerz pain
Similar words
Melancholie is a general mood of sadness with no particular cause named. Weltschmerz is specifically pained by the state of the world and of existence itself — a philosophical disappointment, not just a low mood.
Practice
1 What does Weltschmerz mean?
world-weariness, a melancholy disillusionment with the state of the world
2 Fill the gap: Ein Hauch von ___ lag in seiner Stimme.
Full sentence: Ein Hauch von Weltschmerz lag in seiner Stimme. (A hint of world-weariness was in his voice.)
3 Which fingerprint chart matches Weltschmerz?
Weltschmerz: neutral register, academic frequency, general domain, neutral connotation.
See also
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