From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplaintiveplain‧tive /ˈpleɪntɪv/ adjective SAD/UNHAPPYa plaintive sound is high, like someone crying, and sounds sadplaintive cry/voice/sound etc the plaintive cry of the seagull —plaintively adverb
Examples from the Corpus
plaintive• Legend has it that the bridge got its name from the plaintive cries of the prisoners as they were escorted across it.• There he left them, knowing that they were safe, despite their plaintive cries.• The melody is plaintive, not energetic like the hymns in church.• Ranulf came in with a series of plaintive questions but Corbett dismissed him with a look.• Seam combine melancholy, rage and pure plaintive yearning to devastating effect.plaintive cry/voice/sound etc• There he left them, knowing that they were safe, despite their plaintive cries.• Legend has it that the bridge got its name from the plaintive cries of the prisoners as they were escorted across it.Origin plaintive (1300-1400) Old French plaintif, from plaint; PLAINT 