What does dourest mean?
Dourest is the rare superlative form of the adjective dour, meaning more dour, or most stern, severe, and sullen. It is used when several people, expressions, appearances, or attitudes are being compared, as in “the dourest expression in the room.” The word has an old-fashioned, literary quality and is much less common in modern everyday English than the positive form dour. Its tone can suggest coldness, grimness, severity, or a lack of friendliness, while the superlative ending intensifies the impression of being the most forbidding example. Although primarily associated with formal or archaic writing, dourest is readily understood by modern English readers. It is especially useful in descriptions of characters, customs, landscapes, or atmospheres whose harshness is being emphasized, and it gives prose a distinctive, somewhat elevated flavor.
adjectiveDourest is the literary or archaic superlative of dour, meaning most dour: stern, severe, or sullen.
- Most dour; especially stern, severe, or sullen.
"The old guard met the envoy with the dourest stares."
"The old guard met the envoy with the dourest stares."
"She wore the dourest expression whenever anyone mentioned the war."
A summit of severity: dourest is the rare, literary high point of an already forbidding word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does dourest come from?
Dourest was formed by adding the English superlative suffix “-est” to dour. Dour comes through Old French dur, meaning “hard” or “severe,” ultimately from Latin durus, “hard, rough, or enduring.” Related English words include durable, endure, and obdurate, which reflect the same broad Latin root.
Related word forms
How dourest is actually used
Dourest is a literary or archaic superlative, normally used with “the.” It sounds deliberately old-fashioned and is rarely used in ordinary contemporary speech.
Easily confused with dourest
Dourest means most stern or sullen, whereas dearest means most beloved or cherished.