saturnine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite bitter or scornful
    • the face was saturnine and swarthy, and the sensual lips...twisted with disdain"- Oscar Wilde
  2. adjective satellite showing a brooding ill humor
    dour; morose; sour; dark; glum; glowering; sullen; moody.
    • a dark scowl
    • the proverbially dour New England Puritan
    • a glum, hopeless shrug
    • he sat in moody silence
    • a morose and unsociable manner
    • a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven
    • a sour temper
    • a sullen crowd

WordNet

Sat"ur*nine adjective
Etymology
L. Saturnus the god Saturn, also, the planet Saturn: cf. F. saturnin of or pertaining to lead (Saturn, in old chemistry, meaning lead),saturnien saturnine, saturnian. See Saturn.
Definitions
  1. Born under, or influenced by, the planet Saturn.
  2. Heavy; grave; gloomy; dull; -- the opposite of mercurial; as, a saturnine person or temper. Addison.
  3. (Old Chem.) Of or pertaining to lead; characterized by, or resembling, lead, which was formerly called Saturn. Archaic

Webster 1913