sanguinary
English
Etymology
From Latin sanguinarius.
Pronunciation
Adjective
sanguinary (comparative more sanguinary, superlative most sanguinary)
- Attended with bloodshed.
- 1887, Henry Rider Haggard, Allan Quatermain, Chapter XIII,
- " […] every one of which took its rise from some noble family that succeeded in grasping the purple after a sanguinary struggle."
- 1887, Henry Rider Haggard, Allan Quatermain, Chapter XIII,
- Eager to shed blood; bloodthirsty.
- 1877, Samuel Green, The Life of Mahomet: Founder of the Religion of Islamism and of the Empire of the Saracens with Notices of the History of Islamism and of Arabia, p. 126,
- "The defence set up for Mahomet is equally availing for every sanguinary and revengeful tyrant; […] "
- 1877, Samuel Green, The Life of Mahomet: Founder of the Religion of Islamism and of the Empire of the Saracens with Notices of the History of Islamism and of Arabia, p. 126,
- Consisting of, covered with or similar in appearance to blood.
- 1913, H. G. Wells, Little Wars, Section VI,
- Here is the premeditation, the thrill, the strain of accumulating victory or disaster—and no smashed nor sanguinary bodies […] , that we who are old enough to remember a real modern war know to be the reality of belligerence.
- 1913, H. G. Wells, Little Wars, Section VI,
Usage notes
- Not to be confused with sanguine. Sanguine means “optimistic”, while sanguinary means “bloodthirsty, gory”.
Synonyms
- bloodthirsty
- gory
- slaughterous
- butcherous
Related terms
Translations
accompanied by bloodshed
eager for bloodshed
consisting of or similar to blood
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Noun
sanguinary (plural sanguinaries)
- A bloodthirsty person.
- The plant yarrow, or herba sanguinaria.