sanguinary

American  

[sang-gwuh-ner-ee] / ˈsæŋ gwəˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. full of or characterized by bloodshed; bloody.

   a sanguinary struggle.

2. ready or eager to shed blood; bloodthirsty.

   Synonyms:

   savage, cruel, murderous

   Antonyms:

   kind

3. composed of or marked with blood.

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sanguinary British  

/ ˈsæŋɡwɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. accompanied by much bloodshed

2. bloodthirsty

3. consisting of, flowing, or stained with blood

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Other Word Forms

• sanguinarily adverb
• sanguinariness noun
• unsanguinarily adverb
• unsanguinariness noun
• unsanguinary adjective

Etymology

Origin of sanguinary

First recorded in 1540–50, sanguinary is from the Latin word sanguinārius bloody. See sanguine, -ary

Example Sentences

On Sunday, Barker shared graphic photos of his blood-stained pants and sanguinary phalanges, which took a beating after Blink-182’s set in Manchester, England.

From Los Angeles Times

None of those last few come close to “Dead Ringers,” the sanguinary David Cronenberg re-imagination that was the rare case of a TV adaptation with something original to say.

From New York Times

“Based on a True Story” could have been a sanguinary sendup of the media impulse to turn slashers into celebrities, a kind of “Sweeney Pod.”

From New York Times

His Anglican church was the product of sanguinary religious wars of the 16th and 17th centuries, and he witnessed anti-colonial uprisings throughout Africa.

From Washington Post

However, I got dressed, darkly wiping my sanguinary face at intervals, and I said, “Can I help you?” and he said “No thankee,” and I said “Good afternoon,” and he said “Same to you.”

From Literature