wistful Meaning, Definition & Usage

adjective satellite showing pensive sadness
pensive.
- the sensitive and wistful response of a poet to the gentler phases of beauty

For wishful; perhaps influenced by wistly, which is probably corrupted from OE. wisly certainly (from Icel. viss certain, akin to E. wit). See Wish.

Longing; wishful; desirous.
Lifting up one of my sashes, I cast many a wistful, melancholy look towards the sea. Swift.
Full of thought; eagerly attentive; meditative; musing; pensive; contemplative.
That he who there at such an hour hath been, Will wistful linger on that hallowed spot. Byron.
-- Wist"ful*ly, adv. -- Wist"ful*ness, n.