sanguine

American  

[sang-gwin] / ˈsæŋ gwɪn /

adjective

1. cheerfully optimistic, sometimes to the point of seeming complacent, oblivious, or naive.

   a sanguine disposition;

   sanguine expectations.

   Synonyms:

   positive, optimistic, hopeful, confident, cheerful, buoyant, assured

   Antonyms:

   morose

2. reddish; ruddy.

   a sanguine complexion.

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

4. bloody; sanguinary.

5. blood-red; red.

6. Heraldry. a reddish-purple tincture.

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noun

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

sanguine British  

/ ˈsæŋɡwɪn /

adjective

1. cheerful and confident; optimistic

2. (esp of the complexion) ruddy in appearance

3. blood-red

4. an obsolete word for sanguinary

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

• nonsanguine
  adjective
• nonsanguinely
  adverb
• nonsanguineness
  noun
• oversanguine
  adjective
• oversanguinely
  adverb
• oversanguineness
  noun
• presanguine
  adjective
• quasi-sanguine
  adjective
• quasi-sanguinely
  adverb
• sanguinely
  adverb
• sanguineness
  noun
• sanguinity
  noun
• sanguinness
  noun
• supersanguine
  adjective
• supersanguinity
  noun
• unsanguine
  adjective
• unsanguinely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sanguine

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

Explanation

If you're sanguine about a situation, that means you're optimistic that everything's going to work out fine. Sanguine is from Latin sanguis, "blood," and it originally meant "bloody" — in medieval medicine, it described someone whose ruddy complexion was a sign of an optimistic outlook. That was back when people thought that "bodily humors" like blood were responsible for people's attitudes. Now that we no longer believe in humors, sanguine has settled down as a fancy way to say someone is cheerfully confident that things will work out well.

Example Sentences

Sanguine because, he said, the UK had remained steadfast and consistent in its support for him, despite the domestic political turbulence.

From BBC • Jul. 19, 2024

As Brent Griffiths at Business Insider explains, the "approach breaks people down into five types: Melancholy, Choleric, Sanguine, Supine, and Phlegmatic."

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2023

Sanguine, Cook hears his influence on the charts in more subtle ways.

From The Guardian • Sep. 16, 2020

Another fun name is the vampire Sanguine, who Harry meets at one of Slughorn’s parties and whose name comes from the Latin word for blood, “sanguis”.

From The Guardian • Aug. 19, 2015

Sanguine speculators in the L. R. E., and the Thames Conflagration Company, expect to draw both dividends on the same day.

From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 460 Volume 18, New Series, October 23, 1852 by Chambers, Robert

Related Words

• buoyant
• cheerful
• confident
• enthusiastic
• hopeful
• upbeat