rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: premere
Latin

premere

press

Forms

  • premere
  • press- — The changed form used for completed action and its derivatives.
  • -prim- — The vowel changed in some Latin compounds.

Origin

An inherited Latin verb with older Indo-European ancestry; the exact earliest reconstruction is uncertain.

Note

Physical pressure supplied a natural model for restraint, expression, and compression.

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adjective

depressing

Causing sadness or discouragement.

The depressing news makes it hard to stay hopeful.

Etymology
deLatindown, away; removal
+pressLatinpress
+ingEnglishdoing, causing, or undergoing something

Latin de- and premere express pressing down. Something depressing figuratively presses the spirits downward, causing sadness or weakening the confidence needed to continue.

More examples

  • Weeks of gray skies can be depressing.
  • She finds the empty playground depressing.
  • The report paints a depressing picture of local job losses.

Forms

depressing

depress verb — To make someone feel sad or discouraged.

depressingly adverb — In a way that causes sadness.

Similar words

disheartening
Emphasizes losing hope or confidence rather than feeling sad.
gloomy
Describes a cheerless mood or atmosphere, not necessarily its effect.