dolorous

[Middle English, from Old French doloros, from Late Latin dolōrōsus, from dolor, dolor. See dolor.]

The Wall Street Journal's online opinion page, in discussing the possibility of a recess appointment for John Bolton as US ambassador to the UN, took the opportunity to poke fun at Sen. George Voinovich:

"On the bright side, it would make for a dolorous 18 months for George Voinovich. "

Voinovich had previously broken down in tears on the Senate floor at the prospect of Bolton's ambassadorship.

Link: The Filibuster Is Back

Posted June 23, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

adjective

1. Full of or expressive of sorrow: doleful, lugubrious, mournful, plaintive, rueful, sad, sorrowful, woebegone, woeful. See happy/unhappy.
2. Causing sorrow or regret: deplorable, doleful, grievous, lamentable, mournful, regrettable, rueful, sad, sorrowful, woeful. See happy/unhappy.

Definition: miserable, anguished
Antonyms: cheery, happy, hopeful