What does mourning mean?
Mourning is the public or personal expression of grief, most commonly following the death of a person. It can describe the sorrow itself, as in a phrase such as "she was mourning her father," or a recognized period and set of customs during which mourners grieve. These customs have historically included wearing dark clothing, limiting public entertainment, and observing particular rituals. In modern usage, "in mourning" often means that someone is grieving, while "a period of mourning" or "national mourning" suggests a more formal or collective observance. The word is closely related to "mourn," which means to grieve for a loss, and carries a solemn, traditional tone rather than the more general sense of sadness.
The expression of grief or sorrow, especially following someone's death; also, a period or set of customs observed during bereavement.
"The family announced a week of mourning after the funeral."
The sense referring to a period or customary observance is especially formal.
The present participle of "mourn," meaning to grieve, especially for someone who has died.
"She spent the evening mourning the loss of her brother."
This is an inflectional form of "mourn" rather than an independently defined verb.
The plural is uncommon and refers to separate periods or acts of mourning.
"The community's long mournings were held in the village square."
Mourning has long been a public ritual as well as a private emotion, giving communities a recognized way to mark loss together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mourning come from?
The word comes from Old English "murnan," meaning to grieve or mourn, and is inherited from a Germanic root associated with sorrow or grief. The modern form "mourning" developed through the Old English verbal forms and the addition of the Germanic suffix "-ing," which came to mark an action or state. Related words include "mourn," "mourner," and "mournful," all preserving the same root and its association with sorrow.
Related word forms
How mourning is actually used
In everyday use, mourning most often refers to grief following a death. The phrase "in mourning" can describe a bereaved person's period of grief, while "national mourning" is a formal or ceremonial designation. The word is also commonly used as the present participle of "mourn."
Easily confused with mourning
Mourning refers to grief or sorrow, whereas morning refers to the early part of the day.