Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Maudlin 'Mary Magdalen' (14-16 centuries), from Old French Madeleine, from Latin Magdalena; because she was shown in pictures as crying

maudlin

 adjective
     
maud‧lin
1 talking or behaving in a sad, silly, and emotional way, especially when drunk
get/grow/become maudlin
Sir Ralph was becoming maudlin after his third glass of claret.
2 a maudlin song, story, film etc tries too hard to make people feel emotions such as love or sadness and seems silly:
a song that is tender without being maudlin
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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