Lugubrious

I have loved the word lugubrious ever since I first heard it in the Disney movie Hercules. (“Coming, your lugubriousness”).

I soon came across it in literature, and to this day to see it in print gives me a feeling of deep pleasure and amusement. Lugubrious…”Mournful; indicating sorrow, often ridiculously or feignedly; doleful; woeful; pitiable; as, a whining tone and alugubrious look.”

What word could be more onomatopoeic?

I love the sound of the long “lagoo” followed by such a noble sounding “brious.”  Especially when together the word has such sombre, serious and yet ridiculous sound.

Perhaps I’m just a word nerd, but this is one of my favorites to throw into a conversation and watch peoples eyebrows raise.

Shannon