What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Saturnine vs Wan - What's the difference?

saturnine | wan |

As adjectives the difference between saturnine and wan

is that saturnine is of or born under Saturn's influence while wan is pale, sickly-looking.

As a noun wan is

the quality of being wan; wanness.

As a verb wan is

past tense of win.

saturnine

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • of or born under Saturn's influence
  • containing lead, or suffering from lead poisoning (saturnia)
  • having a tendency to be gloomy, bitter, and sarcastic; sullenly sardonic
  • gloomy, depressed, dull
  • cold and slow to change and react (refers to mood)

    • Derived terms

    * saturnine gout

    Quotations

    * 1770 , , The English physician enlarged. , page 167 *: "But Henbane'' delights most to grow in Saturnine Places, and whole Cart-Loads of it may be found near the Places where they empty the common Jacks, and scarce a Ditch can be found without it growing by it. ''Ergo'', it is an Herb of ''Saturn ." * 1793 , John Whitehead, The life of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A , page 550 *: "But Dr. Johnson would certainly not have expressed himself in this strong language of approbation, had Mr. Wesley been that dark, saturnine creature, represented by Archbishop Herring." English eponyms ----

    wan

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (wanner)
  • Pale, sickly-looking.
  • * Spenser
    • Sad to view, his visage pale and wan .
  • * Longfellow
    • the wan moon overhead
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1921 , year_published=2012 , edition=HTML , editor= , author=Edgar Rice Burrows , title=The Efficiency Expert , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=The Gutenberg Project , isbn= , page= , passage=She looked wan and worried, ... }}
  • Dim, faint.
  • * {{quote-book, passage=’twas so far away, that evil day when I prayed to the Prince of Gloom / For the savage strength and the sullen length of life to work his doom. / Nor sign nor word had I seen or heard, and it happed so long ago; / My youth was gone and my memory wan , and I willed it even so.
    • , title=(Ballads of a Cheechako) , chapter=(The Ballad of One-Eyed Mike) , author=Robert W. Service , year=1909}}
  • Bland, uninterested.
    • A wan expression

    Noun

    (-)
  • The quality of being wan; wanness.
  • * Tennyson
    • Tinged with wan from lack of sleep.

    Etymology 2

    Inflected forms.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (obsolete) (win)

    • Anagrams

    * ----