Melancholy
Sadness without a clear proximate cause — reflective and low-activation, closer to a mood than an event-response.
How it shows up
Melancholy often shows up on rainy afternoons, in autumn, with certain music, or in reflective late hours. It is a quiet, pensive sadness that may feel almost tender rather than sharp, and some people find it creatively rich. Historically the word has carried many meanings, from temperament to illness, so usage varies. It differs from sadness about an event in lacking a clear proximate cause.
How it differs from Sadness
Sadness usually responds to a specific loss or want; melancholy is reflective sadness without a clear proximate cause.
Notice
Notice what settings or sounds bring on a reflective, quiet sadness, and whether it feels heavy or tender.
Where it is felt
Felt most in the chest, throat and face.
Based on Nummenmaa et al. (2014), bodily maps of emotions, and related research. The map shows where people report bodily sensation, on average; individual experience varies.