despondency

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English

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Etymology

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From Latin dēspondentia, from dēspondēns +‎ -ia. Equivalent to despondent +‎ -ency.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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despondency (countable and uncountable, plural despondencies)

  1. The loss of hope or confidence; despair or dejection.
  2. A feeling of depression or disheartenment.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XV, in Francesca Carrara. [], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, [], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 127:
      He kissed her brow, and left her. She watched him unconsciously, till the winding walk hid him from her sight, and then sank back on her seat, every nerve relaxing from its high-strained excitement into utter and still despondency.

Translations

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