Plangent

Plangent

ˈplanj(ə)nt

Adjective

  • (Of a sound) Loud, reverberating, and often melancholy.

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Example Sentences

“The orchestra played a hauntingly plangent song for the finale.”

“The gong provided a plangent accompaniment to the meditation session.”

“The music producer chose plangent instrumentation for the somber scenes.”

Word Origin

Latin, mid-17th century

Why this word?

The Latin “plangere” means “to strike, beat,” which evolved into the English adjective “plangent.” It describes a reverberating sound with a melancholy tone. As this adjective is specific to sound, it has been borrowed for the name of an audio processing tool: the Plangent Process Playback System. Several classic rock ‘n’ roll albums have been remastered using the state-of-the-art blend of digital and analog processing, including The Doors’ “Soft Parade,” the Rolling Stones’ “Charlie Is My Darling,” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town” albums.

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