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Added 8 October 2026

sullen

/ˈsʌlən/ adjective

Latin root: sōlus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sullen at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Showing a brooding ill humor.
a dark scowl
Darkened by clouds.
a heavy sky

Origin

From Middle English soleyn, from Anglo-Norman soleyn (“alone”), from Old French sole (“single, sole, alone”), from Latin sōlus (“by oneself alone”). The change in meaning from "single" to morose occurred in Middle English.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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