different between dolorous vs unfortunate

English

Alternative forms

• dolourous (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English dolorous, from Old French dolerous (modern French douloureux), from Late Latin dol?r?sus (“painful”), from Latin dolor. Doublet of dolorose.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?l???s/, /?do?l???s/

Adjective

dolorous (comparative more dolorous, superlative most dolorous)

1. Solemnly or ponderously sad.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book 5, Canto 4:

     Through dolorous despaire, which she conceyved,

     Into the Sea her selfe did headlong throw,

     Thinking to have her griefe by death bereaved.

   • 1645, John Milton, "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity", stanza 14:

     . . . Hell itself will pass away,

     And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.

   • 2001 June 24, Stefan Kanfer, "Author, Teacher, Witness," Time:

     As World War II came to a close, the gaunt and dolorous child was liberated at yet another death camp, Buchenwald.

Translations

English

Etymology

un- +? fortunate

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?f??tj?n?t/, /?n?f??t???n?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?f??t???n?t/
• Hyphenation: un?for?tu?nate

Adjective

unfortunate (comparative more unfortunate, superlative most unfortunate)

1. not favored by fortune

   Synonym: unsuccessful

   Antonym: fortunate

2. marked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune

   Synonym: unlucky

   Antonyms: fortunate, lucky

Translations

Derived terms

• unfortunately

See also

• deplorable
• regrettable
• infelicitous
• unsuitable

Noun

unfortunate (plural unfortunates)

1. An unlucky person; one who has fallen into bad circumstances.

Translations