A
French nickname for a depressive, gloomy, melancholic person. Can also be spelled Mélanchon in Standard French.
Interesting historical factoid: This
name was given to Pierre Laverdure ("Pierre the
Green") a French colonist from La Rochelle, in Western
France, who settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec. All Quebec and Louisiana Cajuns who bear this last
name are all descended from him, and all are related to each other at some point. See: cousins
Laverdure was known for witnessing many tragedies in his life, and suffering from bouts of traumatic melancholia. Hence his nickname given by other colonists.
Pronounced: May-la'h-sa'h (letter N's are usually silent in French, after the first letter)