adjective
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accompanied by much bloodshed
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bloodthirsty
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consisting of, flowing, or stained with blood
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sanguinary
First recorded in 1540–50, sanguinary is from the Latin word sanguinārius bloody. See sanguine, -ary
Explanation
When something is sanguinary it involves a lot of blood or, at least, the pursuit of blood. Vampire movies are sanguinary: Romper Room is not. If you're familiar with French, then you'll recognize the French word for "blood," sang, in sanguinary. And if you do, then you'll have no trouble remembering the meaning, "having a bloodthirsty quality." Movies have become increasingly sanguinary. Why all the blood and gore? What happened to good old-fashioned suspense?
Vocabulary lists containing sanguinary
Frankenstein
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Quiz yourself on these words spoken by the man at the center of the "Laurel" / "Yanny" craze!
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Peter Pan
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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.
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 ● Jul. 12, 2023
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 ● Dec. 28, 2021
The framers added it to the Constitution to ensure that justice would not “wear a countenance too sanguinary and cruel.”
From Slate ● Jan. 19, 2021
But such occasional resonances feel more accidental and inconsistent, or at least beside the sanguinary point.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2018
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 "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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.
