SATURNINE

[Dr. Goodword]

• saturnine •

Pronunciation: sæt-êr-nain • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: 1. Having the humor or personality of someone born under the influence of the planet Saturn: depressed, gloomy, pessimistic, and a bit grumpy. 2. Containing or otherwise related to lead (see Word History).

Notes: Although the noun from which today's Good Word is derived, Saturn, is always capitalized, this adjective is not. It does come replete with an adverb, saturninely, and a noun, saturninity.

In Play: Today's word usually refers to a humor that we cannot escape: "That saturnine old goat, Willis Mile, doesn't even return a civil greeting in the morning." It can, however, be a passing mood caused by an unexpected event: "Gladys Dunn has been a bit saturnine since her boyfriend left her for the weight-lifter, but she still gets her work done."

Word History: Today's Good Word is an adjective made from the proper noun Saturn, taken from the name of the Latin god, Saturnus. Saturnus is another word of mysterious Etruscan origin (see histrionics for another). The god Saturn is one of the oldest Roman gods, the god of agriculture and harvests. The second and most massive planet and the seventh day of the English week, Saturday, are named after him. In the Middle Ages Saturn became the technical name for lead. It was a time when 'sugar of Saturn' (white lead oxide) was sometimes added as a sweetener to the wine drunk from pewter cups. Saturnism remains a word for lead poisoning today. (We hope that today's very Good Word from James Stemwedel has chased away any saturnine inclinations you might have had today.)

[sluggo]

Having the humor or personality of someone born under the influence of the planet Saturn

That would be Capricorn if you're scoring at home
(or even if you're alone)

Doc left a sly hint of this with the phrase saturnine old goat (although astrologically, redundant)

see also jovial and mercurial; not so much venutial, lunial, martial, uranian, neptunine or plutonic

[Perry]

Having the humor or personality of someone born under the influence of the planet Saturn: depressed, gloomy, pessimistic, and a bit grumpy.

Speaking as a dyed in the wool Capricorn, I resent these characteristics being attributed our astrological group. In fact it makes me darn grumpy, and somewhat depressed to know that this is what you folks think of me.

[sluggo]

What Doc left out is that it also gives us sparklinlgly dry senses of humor. Or so I've been lead to believe.

I keep mine bottled up. Can't trifle with tradition.

[Perry]

Indeed. And as it should be.

I like my champagne brüt and my wine and humor dry!

[gailr]

see also jovial and mercurial; not so much venutial, lunial, martial, uranian, neptunine or plutonic

I think you can move martial to the left of the semicolon.

And I had a plutonic relationship once: his temper was always erupting over something...

[Bailey]

I keep mine bottled up. Can't trifle with tradition

sort of dry fishing?

mb

[Stargzer]

... And I had a plutonic relationship once: his temper was always erupting over something...

Erupting would be volcanic; blowing up would be plutonic. Either one is hard to mitigate and can lead to a catastrophe.

[sluggo]

I think you can move martial to the left of the semicolon.

Commonly used adjective to be sure but not afaik to describe personalities (?)

Of curse, one was tempted to include lunatic but for its unfortunate negative connotations, besides being a noun (what is the adjective then?). So it'd seem the standard personal adjectives are limited to the Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter people, though one of the delightful practicalities of our tongue is that we can invent plutonic and be understood.

I had a plutonic relationship once: his temper was always erupting over something...

Erupting would be volcanic; blowing up would be plutonic.

Indeed there was (is?) a school of astrological thought using Vulcan (and for that matter, Lilith) for planetary influences.

I had one of those too, and haven't we all. Better platonic than plutonic (sorry, pooch!)

[gailr]

...
So it'd seem the standard personal adjectives are limited to the Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter people,
...

Does sunny qualify for that list?

[sluggo]

Does sunny qualify for that list?

I'd have to say it do, by Jove!