dour

English

WOTD - 8 November 2010    

Etymology

From Latin dūrus (“hard, stern”), or possibly from Middle Irish dúr.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈdʊə/, /ˈdaʊə/
• (US) IPA: /ˈdʊɹ/, /ˈdaʊɚ/
• Rhymes: -uːə(r), -aʊə(r)
• Homophones: doer, dower

Adjective

dour (comparative dourer or more dour, superlative dourest or most dour)

1. Stern, harsh and forbidding.
2. Unyielding and obstinate.
3. Expressing gloom or melancholy; sullenly unhappy.

Synonyms

• (stern, harsh): forbidding, harsh, severe, stern
• (unyielding): obstinate, stubborn, unyielding
• (expressing gloom): dejected, gloomy, melancholic, sullen

Derived terms

• dourly
• dourness

Translations

stern, harsh and forbidding

Bulgarian: строг (bg), суров (bg) Dutch: afschrikwekkend (nl) Finnish: tyly (fi) French: sévère (fr), austère (fr), dur (fr), rigoriste (fr), rigoureux (fr)

Polish: srogi (pl) Russian: строгий (ru) (strógij), суровый (ru) (suróvyj) Spanish: severo (es), austero (es), duro (es), rigorista (es), riguroso (es)

unyielding and obstinate

Dutch: onverbiddelijk (nl) Finnish: tyly (fi) French: rigide (fr), inflexible (fr), obstiné (fr), entêté (fr), têtu (fr)

Russian: непреклонный (ru) (n'epr'eklónnyj) Spanish: rígido (es), inflexible (es), obstinado (es), terco (es), despiadado (es)

expressing gloom or melancholy

Bulgarian: мрачен (bg), намусен (bg) Dutch: stuurs Finnish: tyly (fi) French: morose (fr), taciturne (fr), mélancolique (fr), lugubre (fr)

Polish: ponury (pl) Russian: мрачный (ru) (mráčnyj) Spanish: lúgubre (es), taciturno (es), melancólico (es)

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Breton

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈduːʁ/

Noun

dour m. (plural dourioù, doureier)

1. water
2. (by extension) rain, tears, sweat, saliva