bloodthirsty
Americanadjective
-
murderous; cruel
-
taking pleasure in bloodshed or violence
-
describing or depicting killing and violence; gruesome
a bloodthirsty film
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bloodthirsty
Explanation
Someone who's bloodthirsty is savage and murderous, or is very quick to resort to violence. A bloodthirsty general might launch one attack after another, eager to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible. A bloodthirsty government is one that enthusiastically wages war with other countries and might even be casual about violently suppressing its own citizens. You can also describe a book or a movie this way, if it's full of gratuitous, gory scenes: "What a bloodthirsty zombie film that was last night." The word has been around since the 16th century, possibly influenced by a word with similar imagery in Greek, haimodipsos.
Vocabulary lists containing bloodthirsty
"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Charlotte's Web
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ralph S. Mouse
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Children ages 5-8 will need to look elsewhere to read about bloodthirsty old favorites such as the T. rex.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025
Taylor ferrets out the secret with her bloodthirsty relentlessness and immediately raises pandemonium.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 24, 2025
That adds extra freight to his reminder that Katrina’s tragedy was entirely manmade — a whirlpool of failed levees, systems and common bloodthirsty inhumanity.
From Salon • Jul. 25, 2025
It left some viewers perplexed, as they questioned what a bloodthirsty plant had to do with Christmas.
From BBC • Nov. 13, 2024
Celaena had once met a young woman from that cursed land, and though she’d turned out to be both cruel and bloodthirsty, she was still just a human.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
