Lonesome

/ˈloʊnsəm/ adjective

Definition

Sad and lonely; characterized by isolation or the feeling of being alone.

Etymology

From 'lone' (from Old English 'ān' meaning 'one' or 'alone') combined with the suffix '-some' meaning 'full of.' Emerged in American English in the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Lonesome has a distinctly American frontier ring to it—the 'Lonesome Dove' of literature—and it captures a different sadness than 'lonely'; it's more about vastness than just isolation.

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