Sullenness
/ˈsʌl.ən.nəs/noun
The quality of being gloomy, morose, or silently bad-tempered.
Did you know?Its core ancestor is tied to the same ancient idea behind words for filth and mud, which is why English once used it for a kind of heavy, dark, morally stained gloom.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sel-
“to soil, stain, or make dirty”
Old English
OE
sōlian
“to soil or make dirty”
Middle English
ME
sullen
“dirty, filthy; later gloomy or morose”
14th Century
English
sullenness
“the state of being gloomy, moody, or morose”
Modern English
English
sullenness
“gloomy, silent bad temper or morose mood”