Pensive Meaning
/ˈpɛn(t).sɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjEngaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.
adjHaving the appearance of deep, often melancholic, thinking.
Sentence Examples
That left him pensive.
Why are you looking so pensive today?
In the window sat a girl with a pensive face.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ woman sat alone by the window, reflecting on past mistakes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He sat in a ____ mood by the window, staring at the rain and thinking about the past.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English pensif, pensyfe, pencyve, from Old French pensif (“thoughtful”), from penser (“to think”) (from Latin pēnsō) + -if (English -ive).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Abstruse thought and profound researches I prohibit, and will severely punish, by the pensive melancholy which they introduce"
— 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 4:
"Through the deep grass the faces of the three children glowed like pensive moons."
— 1979, J.G. Ballard, The Unlimited Dream Company, chapter 21:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ woman sat alone by the window, reflecting on past mistakes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He sat in a ____ mood by the window, staring at the rain and thinking about the past.