saturnine

adj

Etymology: From Middle English saturnine, satournine, satournyne, saturnin, saturnyn, saturnyne (“pertaining to or under the influence of the planet Saturn; line on the palm of the hand associated with Saturn”), from Old French saturnine, saturnin (modern French saturnin (“of, pertaining to, resembling or containing lead, plumbic”)), or directly from its etymon Medieval Latin Sāturnīnus, from Sāturnus (“the Roman god Saturn; the planet Saturn”) + -īnus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’); analysable as Saturn + -ine. The English word is cognate with Italian saturnino (“saturnine”), Portuguese saturnino (“melancholy, saturnine; pertaining to the planet Saturn”), Spanish saturnino (“melancholy, saturnine; pertaining to the planet Saturn”). Sense 1 (“having a tendency to be cold, bitter, gloomy, etc.”) refers to the fact that individuals born under the astrological influence of the planet Saturn were believed to have that disposition.

1. Of a person: having a tendency to be cold and gloomy.

   “Alſo amongſt the aforeſaid living creatures, ſome are Solar, [...] the contrary, are ſuch as are Lunar, Saturnine, and Martiall, &c. [...] The Saturnine, are the ſolitary, nocturnall and ſad: as the Aſſe, camel, cat, ape, hare, mule, mouſe, mole, bear, toad, and wolfe.”

   “I may cast my readers under two general divisions: the mercurial and the saturnine. The first are the gay part of my disciples, who require speculations of wit and humour; the others are those of a more solemn and sober turn, who find no pleasure but in papers of morality and sound sense.”

2. Of a setting: depressing, dull, gloomy.

   “All the Herbs which delight moſt to grow in Saturnine places, are Saturnine Herbs. But Henbane delights moſt to grow in Saturnine places, and whol Cart loads of it may be found neer the places where they empty the common Jakes, and ſcarce a ſtinking Ditch to be found without, it growing by it. Ergo 'tis an Herb of Saturn.”

   “This saturnine line of thinking proceeds as the clouds overhead start to coalesce and the sky takes on its regular clothy P.M. weight.”

3. Synonym of leaden, of or related to the metal lead, associated with the planet Saturn in European alchemy.

   “The ſwelled teſticles frequently accompanying a gonorrhea will very well illuſtrate the effects of emollient, ſaturnine, and common aſtringent and ſtimulant topics. [...] Saturnine applications have been uſed in theſe caſes with great ſucceſs. I have ſeen that the ſaturnine water made pretty ſtrong, applied cold, and aſſiſted by proper poſture and bandage, remove the tumour and pain in a ſhort time, and duly continued, take away all hardneſs.”

   “But the operation of lead on the ſyſtem is powerfully ſedative and debilitating, and directly adverſe to exuberant action. Hence in the moſt acute form of the ſaturnine diſeaſe, opium, (which is ſtrongly ſtimulant on the arterial ſyſtem) is adminiſtered, with ſafety and advantage, in quantites much larger than can be borne in moſt other diſeaſes; [...]”

4. Caused or affected by lead poisoning (saturnism).

   “The slow saturation of the animal economy by the metal renders the individual saturnine, and prepares in him a fresh ground, containing a reserve of lead, which, under the influence of accidental causes, may pass back in a notable quantity into the blood and bring on accidents analogous to those of acute poisoning or presenting special characteristics. The first effects of lead impregnation are, production of saturnine anæmia [...] acute or chronic saturnine asthma then come on; [...]”

5. Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Saturn; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see sense 1).

   “Chiromancy hath theſe Aphoriſmes to foretell melancholy. [...] Tricaſſus, Corvinus, and others, in his book, thus hath it: The Saturnine line going from the Raſcetta through the hand, to Saturnes mount, and there interſected by certain little lines, argues melancholy: [...]”

   “The Bright Stars in the Dragon, are Saturnine and Martial. They of Cephas, Saturnine and Jovial. They of [the] Boots Mercurial and Saturnine.”

6. Belonging to or resembling butterflies of the family Saturnidae.