noun
Meaning 1
The characteristic of being bleak.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dreich
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
bleakness
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET: B L IY1 K N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
a bleak and desolate atmosphere
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the nakedness of the landscape
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: desolation, bareness, nakedness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: gloom, gloominess, glumness
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English bleak Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English bleakness From bleak + -ness.
Across languages
Translations
7 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: ankeus — characteristic of being bleak
- Irish: riteacht — characteristic of being bleak
- Romanian: paliditate — characteristic of being bleak
- Romanian: paloare — characteristic of being bleak
- Russian: бле́дность (blédnostʹ) — characteristic of being bleak
- Spanish: palidez — characteristic of being bleak
- Spanish: tristeza — characteristic of being bleak