sanguine

[ sang-gwin ]
See synonyms for: sanguinesanguinessanguinelysanguinity on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. cheerfully optimistic, sometimes to the point of seeming complacent, oblivious, or naive: a sanguine disposition;sanguine expectations.

  2. reddish; ruddy: a sanguine complexion.

  1. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.

  2. Heraldry. a reddish-purple tincture.

noun
  1. a red iron-oxide crayon used in making drawings.

Origin of sanguine

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English sanguyne “a blood-red cloth,” from Old French sanguin, from Latin sanguineus “bloody,” equivalent to sanguin-, stem of sanguis “blood” + -eus -eous

Other words for sanguine

Opposites for sanguine

Other words from sanguine

  • san·guine·ly, adverb
  • san·guin·i·ty [sang-gwin-i-tee], /ˌsæŋˈgwɪn ɪ ti/, san·guin·ness, noun
  • non·san·guine, adjective
  • non·san·guine·ly, adverb
  • non·san·guine·ness, noun
  • o·ver·san·guine, adjective
  • o·ver·san·guine·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·san·guine·ness, noun
  • pre·san·guine, adjective
  • qua·si-san·guine, adjective
  • qua·si-san·guine·ly, adverb
  • su·per·san·guine, adjective
  • su·per·san·guin·i·ty, noun
  • un·san·guine, adjective
  • un·san·guine·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with sanguine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sanguine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sanguine

sanguine

/ (ˈsæŋɡwɪn) /


adjective
  1. cheerful and confident; optimistic

  2. (esp of the complexion) ruddy in appearance

  1. blood-red

  2. an obsolete word for sanguinary (def. 2)

noun
  1. Also called: red chalk a red pencil containing ferric oxide, used in drawing

Origin of sanguine

1
C14: from Latin sanguineus bloody, from sanguis blood

Derived forms of sanguine

  • sanguinely, adverb
  • sanguineness or sanguinity, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012