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Melancholy vs Torpor - What's the difference?

melancholy | torpor |

As nouns the difference between melancholy and torpor

is that melancholy is (historical) black bile, formerly thought to be one of the four "cardinal humours" of animal bodies while torpor is being inactive or stuporous.

As an adjective melancholy

is affected with great sadness or depression.

melancholy

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Affected with great sadness or depression.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
    • , chapter=1 citation , passage=“[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes

    Synonyms

    * (thoughtful sadness) (l) * See also

    Noun

    (melancholies)
  • (historical) Black bile, formerly thought to be one of the four "cardinal humours" of animal bodies.
  • *, Bk.I, New York 2001, p.148:
    • Melancholy , cold and dry, thick, black, and sour,is a bridle to the other two hot humours, blood and choler, preserving them in the blood, and nourishing the bones.
  • Great sadness or depression, especially of a thoughtful or introspective nature.
  • * 1593 , (William Shakespeare), , V. i. 34:
    • My mind was troubled with deep melancholy .

    Related terms

    * melancholic * sadness

    torpor

    English

    Alternative forms

    * torpour

    Noun

    (-)
  • Being inactive or stuporous.
  • A state of apathy or lethargy.
  • (biology) A state similar to hibernation characterised by energy-conserving, very deep sleep

    • Synonyms

    * torpidity * sluggishness * lethargy * languor

    Derived terms

    * torporific

    Related terms

    * torpidity * torpid * torpidness