Hypertext Webster Gateway: "saturnine"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Saturnine \Sat"ur*nine\, a. [L. Saturnus the god Saturn, also,
the planet Saturn: cf. F. saturnin of or pertaining to lead
(Saturn, in old chemistry, meaning lead), saturnien
saturnine, saturnian. See {Saturn}.]
1. Born under, or influenced by, the planet Saturn.
2. Heavy; grave; gloomy; dull; -- the opposite of
{mercurial}; as, a saturnine person or temper. --Addison.
3. (Old Chem.) Of or pertaining to lead; characterized by, or
resembling, lead, which was formerly called Saturn.
[Archaic]
{Saturnine colic} (Med.), lead colic.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
saturnine
adj 1: bitter or scornful; "the face was saturnine and swarthy, and
the sensual lips...twisted with disdain"- Oscar Wilde
2: showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the
proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless
shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and
unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic
young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen
crowd" [syn: {dark}, {dour}, {glowering}, {glum}, {moody},
{morose}, {sour}, {sullen}]
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