dismal science

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dismal science

Where it comes from

Coined by Thomas Carlyle in 1849, a play on gay science (“poetry”).

noun dismal sciences

derogatory, humorous, idiomatic, sometimes, usually, with definite article Economics or the field of political economy. [N]ot a "gay science," but a rueful—which finds the secret of this universe in "supply and demand" . . . a dreary, desolate and, indeed, quite abject and distressing one; what we might call, by way of eminence, the dismal science.

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MLA

"dismal science." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dismal%20science. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

dismal science. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dismal%20science

Chicago

"dismal science." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dismal%20science.

BibTeX

@misc{dismal_science_2026,
  title = {dismal science},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dismal%20science},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}