Sadness is the state of being unhappy. Deep sadness, a wave of sadness, sadness in her voice.
It is one of the small set of emotions recognised across cultures, and it has a function — it slows people down and draws support from others. It is not depression, which is longer, heavier and includes losing interest in everything. Note that the Old English sad meant sated or full, and the sense of sorrow came later.
1nounsadnessThe state of being unhappy.
“There was a deep sadness in her eyes when she talked about her brother.”
sadness is an emotion.
Middle English sadnesse is sad plus -ness. Old English saed meant sated or weary, and the sense of sorrow developed from it.
Middle English
sadnesse
English, today
sadness
From Middle English sadnesse, equivalent to sad + -ness.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA