dolorose

D2O1L1O1R1O1S1E1
UK/ˈdɒləɹəʊs/

adjective

Grievous and sorrowful.

Scrabble 9

Meanings

adjectivedolorose (comparative more dolorose, superlative most dolorose)

comparative more dolorose · superlative most dolorose

  1. Grievous and sorrowful.

    I hope he’s not quite so dolorose to-day as he was a month ago.

    1833, Alexander John Ellis, editor, The Kaleidoscope; A Periodical Conducted by Eton Boys, page 192
    2 more examples

    Herre followythe a lamyntabill tragedye, ful of concytete myrthe, yclepede, a Mirroure fore magystrattis, baylyes, councylloures, and crafftessmenne: Conteynynge the ryghte dolorose, tragycalle, and deinge speeches offe somme herretoeforre famose rueleres; as alsoe, shoeinge yow cawyse of grette myrthe, howe dystresse makythe the dummbe speke wythe a wyse tonge, moche semblable untoe Balaame his asse; whyche nottede personne was the patryarche ande anncystorre offe more rueleres, magystrattis, ande the lykke, than onneste menne will thynke. Impryntede atte the costes ande chargys offe mi moste woorthye patronne, his worchyppe Aldyrmanne Thornne.

    Middle English?: Alexander Jamieson (?), Herre followythe a lamyntabill tragedye, ful of concytete myrthe, yclepede, a Mirroure fore magystrattis, baylyes, councylloures, and crafftessmenne, main title (1819 republication)

    The comedy of “Minna von Barnhelm,” completed about 1761, is the most celebrated of that era. It is a most spirited and impressive production, no less characteristic than national, and at its first appearance on the German stage, was reckoned, upon the whole, a perfect phenomenon. By its dolorose scenes, which excel the comic ones, it ought, perhaps, rather to be classed with the tragic drama than with comedy.

    1844, Franz J. L. Thimm, edited by William Henry Farn, The Literature of Germany: From Its Earliest Period to the Present Time, Historically Developed, pages 37–38

Origin

  1. Latindolōrōsus“painful, sorrowful”
  2. Englishdolorose

Borrowed from Latin dolōrōsus (“painful, sorrowful”); compare doloroso and dolorous.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

dolorose. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dolorose

MLA

“dolorose.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dolorose. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dolorose,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dolorose.

Source: dolorose on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.