plangent

English

WOTD – 15 May 2012    

Etymology

From Latin plangens, present participle of plango (“to beat”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈplænd͡ʒənt/, X-SAMPA: /"pl{ndZ@nt/

Adjective

plangent (comparative more plangent, superlative most plangent)

1. having a loud, mournful sound
   • 1919, Ronald Firbank, Valmouth, Duckworth, hardback edition, page 49

     Since mid-day their plangent, disquieting cries had foretold its approach.

2. (rare) beating, dashing, as waves.
   • 1922,Clark Ashton Smith, Desire of Vastness

     What central sea with plume-plucked midnight strewn,

     Plangent to what enormous plenilune

     That lifts in silence, hinderless and stark ?

Related terms

• plangency
• plangently

Translations

having a loud mournful sound

• Dutch: luidklagend (nl)
• Japanese: 哀調を帯びた（あいちょうをおびた, aichou wo obita
• Portuguese: plangente (pt)

• Russian: заунывный (ru) (zaunývnyj) m
• Spanish: plañidero, quejumbroso, triste, consternado

---

Latin

Verb

plangent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of plangō