wistful
pronunciation
How to pronounce wistful in British English:
UK [ˈwɪstfl]
How to pronounce wistful in American English:
US [ˈwɪstfəl]
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- Adjective:
- full of longing or unfulfilled desire
- showing pensive sadness
Word Origin
- wistful (adj.)
- 1610s, "closely attentive," perhaps from obsolete wistly "intently" (c. 1500), of uncertain origin. Perhaps formed on the model of wishful. Middle English wistful meant "bountiful, well-supplied," from Old English wist "provisions." The meaning of "longingly pensive, musing" is by 1714. Related: Wistfully; wistfulness.
Example
- 1. Her wistful face haunt my dreams like the rain at night .
- 2. Her wistful face haunts my dreams like the rain at night .
- 3. She had a last wistful look at the house .
- 4. But it adds a wistful element to their romance .
- 5. Those wistful little ads that the lovelorn place in the classifieds .