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sanguinary

[ sang-gwuh-ner-ee ]
/ ˈsæŋ gwəˌnɛr i /
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adjective
full of or characterized by bloodshed; bloody: a sanguinary struggle.
ready or eager to shed blood; bloodthirsty.
composed of or marked with blood.
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Origin of sanguinary

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

OTHER WORDS FROM sanguinary

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sanguinary

sanguinary , sanguine
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sanguinary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sanguinary

sanguinary
/ (ˈsæŋɡwɪnərɪ) /

adjective
accompanied by much bloodshed
bloodthirsty
consisting of, flowing, or stained with blood

Derived forms of sanguinary

sanguinarily, adverbsanguinariness, noun

Word Origin for sanguinary

C17: from Latin sanguinārius
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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