Overwhelmed by deep sorrow or mourning, usually following a significant loss. It describes someone who appears visibly affected by profound sadness.
Combines 'grief' from Old French 'gref' meaning 'burden or suffering' with 'stricken', past participle of 'strike'. The compound suggests being struck down or wounded by sorrow.
Grief actually follows predictable brain patterns similar to physical pain! The anterior cingulate cortex and right ventral prefrontal cortex activate during grief just as they do during physical injury, which is why we say we're 'hurt' by loss.
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