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gloom (n.)

1590s, originally Scottish, "a sullen look," probably from gloom (v.) "look sullen or displeased" (late 14c., gloumen), of unknown origin; perhaps from an unrecorded Old English verb or from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian dialectal glome "to stare somberly"), or from Middle Low German glum "turbid," Dutch gluren "to leer." Not considered to be related to Old English glom "twilight" (see gloaming).

Sense of "darkness, obscurity" is first recorded 1629 in Milton's poetry; that of "melancholy, dejection, cloudiness or cheerless heaviness of mind" is from 1744; but gloomy with a corresponding sense is attested from 1580s.

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Definitions of gloom from WordNet

gloom (n.)
a state of partial or total darkness;
he struck a match to dispel the gloom
Synonyms: somberness / sombreness
gloom (n.)
a feeling of melancholy apprehension;
Synonyms: gloominess / somberness / sombreness
gloom (n.)
an atmosphere of depression and melancholy;
gloom pervaded the office
Synonyms: gloominess / glumness
From wordnet.princeton.edu