Griever

/ˈɡriːvər/ noun

Definition

A person who is experiencing deep sadness or sorrow, especially after a loss.

Etymology

From Middle English 'grever,' derived from Old French 'grever' meaning 'to burden' or 'to oppress,' from Latin 'gravare' meaning 'to make heavy.' The sense shifted to emotional heaviness over time.

Kelly Says

The word 'griever' is relatively rare in modern English, which is interesting because most languages have specific words for people in mourning—it suggests that English speakers preferred describing grief through verbs rather than identifying people by their emotional state.

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