saturnine
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saturnine¹
- /ˈsætənaɪn/ UK
- /-nɪn/ UK
- /ˈsætɚˌnaɪn/ US
- /-ˌnin/ US
- [-ɾɚ-] US
Where it comes from
From Middle English saturnine, satournine, satournyne, saturnin, saturnyn, saturnyne (“pertaining to or under the influence of the planet Saturn; line on the palm of the hand associated with Saturn”), from Old French saturnine, saturnin (modern French saturnin (“of, pertaining to, resembling or containing lead, plumbic”)), or directly from its etymon Medieval Latin Sāturnīnus, from Sāturnus (“the Roman god Saturn; the planet Saturn”) + -īnus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’); analysable as Saturn + -ine. The English word is cognate with Italian saturnino (“saturnine”), Portuguese saturnino (“melancholy, saturnine; pertaining to the planet Saturn”), Spanish saturnino (“melancholy, saturnine; pertaining to the planet Saturn”).
Sense 1 (“having a tendency to be cold, bitter, gloomy, etc.”) refers to the fact that individuals born under the astrological influence of the planet Saturn were believed to have that disposition.
adjective more saturnine · most saturnine · ♄ine
-
Of a person: having a tendency to be cold and gloomy.
Alſo amongſt the aforeſaid living creatures, ſome are Solar, [...] the contrary, are ſuch as are Lunar, Saturnine, and Martiall, &c. [...] The Saturnine, are the ſolitary, nocturnall and ſad: as the Aſſe, camel, cat, ape, hare, mule, mouſe, mole, bear, toad, and wolfe.
Similar: solemn, somber, atrabiliary, atrabilious, blitheless, dispirited, blue, bummed out, chapfallen, cheerless, chopfallen, crestfallen · Opposite: cheerful, jovial, berserk, blissed out, blithe, buoyant, chirpy, blithesome, bonnie, bright, cheerly, cheery
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Of a setting: depressing, dull, gloomy.
All the Herbs which delight moſt to grow in Saturnine places, are Saturnine Herbs. But Henbane delights moſt to grow in Saturnine places, and whol Cart loads of it may be found neer the places where they empty the common Jakes, and ſcarce a ſtinking Ditch to be found without, it growing by it. Ergo
Similar: dark, grim, cheerless, comfortless, bleak, morose, depressing, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, doleful · Opposite: bright, cheery, pleasant
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Synonym of leaden, of or related to the metal lead, associated with the planet Saturn in European alchemy.
The ſwelled teſticles frequently accompanying a gonorrhea will very well illuſtrate the effects of emollient, ſaturnine, and common aſtringent and ſtimulant topics. [...] Saturnine applications have been uſed in theſe caſes with great ſucceſs. I have ſeen that the ſaturnine water made pretty ſtrong,
Similar: leaden, of or related to the metal lead, associated with the planet Saturn in European alchemy
- Caused or affected by lead poisoning (saturnism). The slow saturation of the animal economy by the metal renders the individual saturnine, and prepares in him a fresh ground, containing a reserve of lead, which, under the influence of accidental causes, may pass back in a notable quantity into the blood and bring on accidents analogous to those of
- Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Saturn; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1). Chiromancy hath theſe Aphoriſmes to foretell melancholy. [...] Tricaſſus, Corvinus, and others, in his book, thus hath it: The Saturnine line going from the Raſcetta through the hand, to Saturnes mount, and there interſected by certain little lines, argues melancholy: [...]
- Belonging to or resembling butterflies of the family Saturnidae.
Saturnine²
adjective
- Of or relating to the ancient Roman god Saturn. sacrificial murder in Saturnine rites
Translations
Every language
Talk about this word "saturnine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/saturnine. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. saturnine. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/saturnine "saturnine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/saturnine.Cite this
@misc{saturnine_2026,
title = {saturnine},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/saturnine},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
