sanguine

American  

[sang-gwin] / ˈsæŋ gwɪn /

adjective

1. cheerfully optimistic, sometimes to the point of seeming complacent, oblivious, or naive.

   a sanguine disposition;

   sanguine expectations.

   Synonyms:

   positive, optimistic, hopeful, confident, cheerful, buoyant, assured

   Antonyms:

   morose

2. reddish; ruddy.

   a sanguine complexion.

3. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.

4. bloody; sanguinary.

5. blood-red; red.

6. Heraldry. a reddish-purple tincture.

---

noun

1. a red iron-oxide crayon used in making drawings.

sanguine British  

/ ˈsæŋɡwɪn /

adjective

1. cheerful and confident; optimistic

2. (esp of the complexion) ruddy in appearance

3. blood-red

4. an obsolete word for sanguinary

---

noun

1. Also called: red chalk.  a red pencil containing ferric oxide, used in drawing

Other Word Forms

• nonsanguineness
  noun
• oversanguineness
  noun
• sanguineness
  noun
• sanguinity
  noun
• sanguinness
  noun
• supersanguinity
  noun
• nonsanguine
  adjective
• oversanguine
  adjective
• presanguine
  adjective
• quasi-sanguine
  adjective
• supersanguine
  adjective
• unsanguine
  adjective
• nonsanguinely
  adverb
• oversanguinely
  adverb
• quasi-sanguinely
  adverb
• sanguinely
  adverb
• unsanguinely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sanguine

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English sanguyne “a blood-red cloth,” from Old French sanguin, from Latin sanguineus “bloody,” equivalent to sanguin-, stem of sanguis “blood” + -eus -eous

Explanation

If you're sanguine about a situation, that means you're optimistic that everything's going to work out fine. Sanguine is from Latin sanguis, "blood," and it originally meant "bloody" — in medieval medicine, it described someone whose ruddy complexion was a sign of an optimistic outlook. That was back when people thought that "bodily humors" like blood were responsible for people's attitudes. Now that we no longer believe in humors, sanguine has settled down as a fancy way to say someone is cheerfully confident that things will work out well.

Example Sentences

Not everybody is quite as sanguine as Hackett.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

Some Stanford graduates are less sanguine about AI's arrival.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Other hedge-fund managers were more sanguine, arguing that the market might have trouble digesting all the new shares in the weeks ahead but that the economy remains strong, a fact underscored by Friday’s employment data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Another, sitting next to me, was equally sanguine.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

Adams, usually the more apocalyptic member of the team, in this instance adopted the more sanguine Jeffersonian posture.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• buoyant
• cheerful
• confident
• enthusiastic
• hopeful
• upbeat