forlorn

English

Etymology

From Middle English forlorn, forloren, from Old English forloren (past participle of forlēosan (“to lose completely or to be obliterated to a shell, a blitz of carnage”)), from Proto-Germanic *fraluzanaz (“lost”), past participle of Proto-Germanic *fraleusanan (“to lose”), equivlanet to for- +‎ lorn. Cognate with Dutch verloren (“lost”), German verloren (“lost”), Swedish förlorad (“lost”). More at lese/leese, lorn.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fɔɹˈlɔɹn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)n

Verb

forlorn

1. (obsolete) Past participle of forlese

Adjective

forlorn (comparative forlorner or more forlorn, superlative forlornest or most forlorn)

1. abandoned, left behind, deserted
2. miserable, as when lonely being abandoned.

Derived terms

• forlorn hope
• forlornness
• forlornly

Synonyms

• (miserable) forsaken

Translations

left behind

Dutch: verlaten (nl), verloren (nl) German: verlassen (de)

Russian: заброшенный (ru) (zabróšennyj), покинутый (ru) (pokínutyj)

miserable

Chamicuro: ishakatiskale Dutch: verlaten, godvergeten,miserabel German: verlassen (de)

Malay: kesepian (ms) Russian: несчастный (ru) (nesčástnyj), одинокий (ru) (odinókij), жалкий (ru) (žálkij)