different between maudlin vs morbid

English

Etymology

From Middle English Maudelen, a dialectal form of Mary Magdalene (typically depicted weeping), from Old French Madelaine, from Late Latin Magdalena.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m??d.l?n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?d.l?n/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /?m?d.l?n/

Noun

maudlin (plural maudlins)

1. (obsolete, Christianity) The Magdalene; Mary Magdalene. [14th-16th c.]
   • c. 1400, Nicholas Love (trans.), The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ:

2. (historical) Either of two aromatic plants, costmary or sweet yarrow. [from 15th c.]
   • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 186:

3. (obsolete) A Magdalene house; a brothel. [17th c.]

Adjective

maudlin (comparative more maudlin, superlative most maudlin)

1. Affectionate or sentimental in an effusive, tearful, or foolish manner, especially because of drunkenness. [from 17th c.]
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 6:

   • around 1900, O. Henry, The Rubaiyat of a Scotch Highball

2. Extravagantly or excessively sentimental; mawkish, self-pitying. [from 17th c.]
   • 1961, CS Lewis, A Grief Observed

3. (obsolete) Tearful, lachrymose. [17th-19th c.]

Synonyms

• (affectionately sentimental): mushy, sappy, schmaltzy, soupy, slushy
  • (drunk): See Thesaurus:drunk
• (excessively sentimental): emotional, overwrought, soppy
• (tearful): larmoyant, mournful, plaintful, teary, weepy; see also Thesaurus:sad

Translations

Anagrams

• Mauldin, indlamu

English

Etymology

From Latin morbidus (“diseased”), from morbus (“sickness”), itself from the root of morior (“die”) or directly from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to rub, pound, wear away”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m??.b?d/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m??.b?d/

Adjective

morbid (comparative more morbid, superlative most morbid)

1. (originally) Of, or relating to disease. [from 1650s]
2. (by extension) Taking an interest in unhealthy or unwholesome subjects such as death, decay, disease. [from 1770s]
3. Suggesting the horror of death; macabre or ghoulish
4. Grisly or gruesome.

Synonyms

• (of or relating to disease): pathological
• (unhealthy or unwholesome): sick, twisted, unhealthy, unwholesome, warped
• (suggesting the horror of death): black, ghoulish, grim, macabre
• (grisly, gruesome): bloody, disgusting, gory, grisly, gruesome, sickening

Derived terms

• morbidity
• morbidly
• morbidness

Related terms

• morbidezza
• morbilous

Translations

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “morbid”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• bromid

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m???bi?t/

Adjective

morbid (comparative morbider, superlative am morbidsten)

1. morbid

Declension

Derived terms

• komorbid
• Morbidität