dismal

Where does the word "dismal" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin dies mali, passing through Anglo-French before entering English (1200s).

Dismal’s story begins in Medieval Latin: dies mali meant “evil days.” Two days each month marked unlucky in medieval calendars. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Anglo-French as dis mal. The 'Egyptian days' of misfortune. It reached English by 1200s as dismal. The sense 'gloomy' dates from the 1500s. Today, dismal means depressing; dreary.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval dies mali "evil days", two days each month marked unlucky in medieval calendars.
2. Stage 2 · Anglo-French · medieval dis mal "unlucky days", the 'Egyptian days' of misfortune.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s dismal "unlucky days", the sense 'gloomy' dates from the 1500s.