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Glite Dictionary
plangency

plangency

9.9
A loud, deep, mournful sound that moves people
  • noun
  • /ˈplæŋdʒənsi/
  • Literature
translation icon : sonoridad
  • As the singer hit the high note, a deep plangency filled the auditorium, captivating the audience.

Examples

  • Anyway, the plangency, to use the fashionable word, of these passages is lost in translation.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The plangency of the old church bells echoed through the valley, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

  • The plangency of the foghorn warned ships of the dangerous coastline on a misty morning.

Synonyms

ringing
vsplangency
37 3.2

A loud clear tone a voice or speech has that sounds like an echo

is loud and resonant yet usually with a more mournful character
resonance
vsplangency
5 5.8

A deep full sound that echoes and fills a space

is about the same depth but includes a clear mournful feeling
keening
vsplangency
  • Archaic
2 8.6

A long high sad cry people make for someone who died

is loud resonant and often more mournful than a high pitched wail
sonority
vsplangency
1 7.5

A full, deep sound that fills a space

is narrower, stressing loud resonant sound with a mournful quality
reverberance
vsplangency
  • Specialized
8.7

A loud, full sound that echoes and stays in the air

is similarly loud and resonant but adds a mournful emotional quality
sonorousness
vsplangency
8.4

A deep, full sound that fills a room or hall

is similar but specifically emphasizes a loud mournful tone

Antonyms

silence
660 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

muteness
1 6.8

Not speaking because someone cannot or chooses not to speak

How Resonant

plangency
  • Literature
9.9
resonance
5 5.8
sonority
1 7.5
softness
1 1.6
faintness
1 5.5

Surface Forms

plangency singular
plangencies plural

Morphology

plangency = plang + ency

The noun is formed from the combining root 'plang-' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ency', but 'plang' is not a standalone English word, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from familiar base words.

Etymology

Plangency comes from the Latin verb plangere, which means 'to beat' or 'to lament', and it is related to the English word plaintive meaning 'sad sounding'. So, plangency names the quality of a loud, echoing sound that feels sad and moving.