Today, while reading War and Peace by none other than Leo Tolstoy, I came across the word "lugubrious" which has now become my favourite word. It means, to quote the Google Search definition, "looking or sounding sad and dismal."
It has its roots in Latin and its use makes perfect sense in the context of the Napoleonic Wars during the early 1800s, when War and Peace is set. Throughout the story, there are a number of words that I come across which make no sense to me, although I can somewhat gather what they mean based on the context.
It is clear I must make more of an effort to take the time to find out what each means specifically, for I know they will make me a better writer. Being able to write and describe something in one word, which sums it up perfectly, is better than using three or four which could have been said by anyone.
That doesn't necessarily mean, however, that the reader or listener will understand what you meant. In which case I will look at them lugubriously.
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