Saturnine

Quick meaning: Saturnine is an adjective meaning (comparable) Of a person: having a tendency to be cold and gloomy.

Meaning

(comparable) Of a person: having a tendency to be cold and gloomy.

More Meanings

1. (comparable) Of a setting: depressing, dull, gloomy.
2. (comparable, alchemy, archaic) Synonym of leaden, of or related to the metal lead, associated with the planet Saturn in European alchemy.
3. (not comparable, pathology) Caused or affected by lead poisoning (saturnism).
4. (entomology) Belonging to or resembling butterflies of the family Saturnidae
5. (not comparable, astrology, obsolete) Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Saturn; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1).

Example Sentences

The monstrous thought came into my mind as I perused the fixed eyes and the saturnine face, that this was a spirit, not a man.

Theſe gentlemen, with an equal ſhare of pride, pedantry, and ſaturnine diſpoſition, were by the accidents of education and company, diametrically oppoſite in political maxims; [...]

As the eye of the injured man slowly passed from the body of the seducer to the partner and victim of his crime, [...] his features, naturally coarse and saturnine, assumed a dignity of expression which overawed the young Templars, [...]

Alſo amongſt the aforeſaid living creatures, ſome are Solar, [...] the contrary, are ſuch as are Lunar, Saturnine, and Martiall, &c. [...] The Saturnine, are the ſolitary, nocturnall and ſad: as the Aſſe, camel, cat, ape, hare, mule, mouſe, mole, bear, toad, and wolfe.

Synonyms for saturnine

Depending on context, synonyms include solemn, somber, atrabiliary, atrabilious, blitheless, dispirited.

Antonyms for saturnine

Common opposites include cheerful, jovial, berserk, blithe, buoyant, blithesome.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include glum, morose, sullen, dour, moody, ill-natured.

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