pensive [LME] Pensive is from Old French pensif from penser ‘to think’: this is via Latin pensare ‘to ponder’ from pendere ‘to weigh’. The notion is of ‘weighing up’ the merits of various options. Ponder [ME] ‘to consider, weigh things up’ and ponderous [LME] ‘weighty’ come from the same root. The flower name pansy [LME] also comes from the same source, being the English spelling of the French pensée ‘thought’. This is because of the face-like markings on the flowers, which in old varieties looked as if they were hanging down pensively. See also penthouse.