Lackaday
/ˌlæk.əˈdeɪ/noun
An old-fashioned exclamation of regret, sorrow, or mild lamentation.
Did you know?Its first syllable is the same old lamenting cry seen in Shakespearean English, and the whole phrase was once a dramatic complaint about the day itself.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
on lāc
“a cry of sorrow or lamentation”
Middle English
ME
alake
“an exclamation of grief or pity”
16th Century
English
alack the day
“an expression of sorrow or regret”
17th Century
English
lackaday
“a contracted lamenting exclamation”
Modern English
English
lackaday
“a quaint exclamation of regret or dismay”