sententious

American  

[sen-ten-shuhs] / sɛnˈtɛn ʃəs /

adjective

1. abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims.

   a sententious book.

2. given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.

   Synonyms:

   moralistic, sanctimonious, didactic, preachy

3. given to or using pithy sayings or maxims.

   a sententious poet.

4. of the nature of a maxim; pithy.

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sententious British  

/ sɛnˈtɛnʃəs /

adjective

1. characterized by or full of aphorisms, terse pithy sayings, or axioms

2. constantly using aphorisms, etc

3. tending to indulge in pompous moralizing

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Other Word Forms

• nonsententious
  adjective
• nonsententiousness
  noun
• sententiosity
  noun
• sententiously
  adverb
• sententiousness
  noun
• unsententious
  adjective
• unsententiousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sententious

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin sententiōsus “meaningful, pithy”; see sentence, -ous

Explanation

If you speak in sententious phrases, your listeners are probably falling asleep, as your speech is pompous and pretentious, and full of moralistic babble. When sententious first appeared in English — back in the late Middle Ages — it meant "full of wisdom," but now it usually has a negative sense, meaning heavy handed and self-important. The sententious blowhard makes people laugh, and you can probably think of at least three cartoon characters who fit the bill — often a politician or minister who drones on and on, oblivious to the fact that his audience is snickering or trying to sneak out.

Example Sentences

Sententious as the opera seems, it is yet puffed out, padded, and bedizened with unessential ornament compared with the story.

From A Second Book of Operas by Krehbiel, Henry Edward

Dear old Mr. Sententious," said she, "did you think you could take me in?

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, June 25, 1919 by Various

Sententious morality from time past has told us that we are each given a part to play, evidently implying, with involuntary cynicism, that the art of life is—the art of acting.

From Prose Fancies (Second Series) by Le Gallienne, Richard

Sententious maxims, put into verse for the better aid of the memory, were known by the Greeks as gnomes, γνῶμαι, from γνώμη, an opinion.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various

"Sententious that;" yet I could not smile—he spoke with such earnestness.

From John Halifax, Gentleman by Craik, Dinah Maria Mulock