The meaning of PLAINTIVE is expressive of suffering or woe : melancholy. How to use plaintive in a sentence. Did you know?

PLAINTIVE definition: expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful. See examples of plaintive used in a sentence.

Definition of plaintive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

A plaintive sound or voice sounds sad. They lay on the sand, listening to the plaintive cry of the seagulls.

Law. Of or relating to the complainant or plaintiff in a lawsuit. Also (chiefly in party plaintive): that is a plaintiff, that brings a lawsuit.

plaintive (ˈpleɪntɪv) adj expressing melancholy; mournful [C14: from Old French plaintif grieving, from plainte plaint]

Apr 15, 2026 · plaintive (comparative more plaintive, superlative most plaintive) I can see by your plaintive smile something is wrong, so spill it. When my wife and I heard a plaintive whinny from our …

It is plaintive because it cannot get on the network as frequently as it would wish.

Plaintive definition: Expressing sorrow; mournful or melancholy.

The term 'plaintive' describes a sound or expression that conveys a sense of sorrow or sadness. It is often used to depict a mournful tone in music, literature, or speech. This adjective evokes feelings of …