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lugubrious

adjective/ləˈɡuːbrɪəs/

definition

looking or sounding sad and dismal

example

The lugubrious music playing in the background perfectly matched the somber mood of the funeral.

synonyms
mournfulgloomysorrowful
word origin — from Latin 'lugubris', meaning 'mournful'

GRE Vocabulary — Set 24

Set 24 of GRE Vocabulary covers 5 words: lugubrious, epistolary, impeccable, aloof, enigmatic. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. lugubrious · adjective/ləˈɡuːbrɪəs/

    looking or sounding sad and dismal

    The lugubrious music playing in the background perfectly matched the somber mood of the funeral.

    Synonyms: mournful, gloomy, sorrowful

    Origin: from Latin 'lugubris', meaning 'mournful'

  2. epistolary · adjective/ɪˈpɪstəlˌɛri/

    relating to or denoting the writing of letters or literary works in the form of letters

    The epistolary novel offered a unique perspective on the characters' thoughts and feelings, as their correspondence revealed much more than traditional narration could.

    Synonyms: lettered, correspondence, written

    Origin: from Latin 'epistola', meaning 'letter'

  3. impeccable · adjective/ɪmˈpɛkəbl/

    faultless or flawless in performance or appearance

    Her impeccable taste in fashion always leaves everyone in awe.

    Synonyms: flawless, perfect, immaculate

    Origin: from Latin 'impeccabilis' meaning 'not liable to sin' ('in-' meaning 'not' + 'peccare' meaning 'to sin')

  4. aloof · adjective/əˈluf/

    distant and uninvolved emotionally

    Despite being surrounded by friends, she remained aloof, never engaging in the conversation.

    Synonyms: distant, detached, indifferent

    Origin: The word 'aloof' originates from the early 17th century, derived from the obsolete Dutch word 'loef,' meaning 'the weather side of a ship,' and the prefix 'a-' meaning 'from' or 'away.'

  5. enigmatic · adjective/ˌɛnɪgˈmætɪk/

    difficult to understand or interpret mysterious

    The artist's enigmatic smile has left many art critics pondering the true meaning behind her work.

    Synonyms: mysterious, cryptic, puzzling

    Origin: The word 'enigmatic' originates from the Greek 'ainigma', which means 'a riddle', derived from 'ainissesthai' meaning 'to speak in riddles'.