sardonic
[ sahr-don-ik ]
/ sɑrˈdɒn ɪk /
adjective
characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical; sneering: a sardonic grin.
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“I do believe that the buck stops here, that I cannot rely upon public opinion polls to tell me what is right. I do believe that right makes might and that if I am wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”
Origin of sardonic
1630–40; alteration of earlier sardonian (influenced by French sardonique) <Latin sardoni(us) (<Greek sardónios of Sardinia) + -an; alluding to a Sardinian plant which when eaten was supposed to produce convulsive laughter ending in death
OTHER WORDS FROM sardonic
sar·don·i·cal·ly, adverbsar·don·i·cism, nounun·sar·don·ic, adjectiveun·sar·don·i·cal·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for sardonic
MacMaine laughed, allowing the touch of sardonicism that he felt to be heard in the laughter.
The Highest Treason|Randall Garrett
British Dictionary definitions for sardonic
sardonic
/ (sɑːˈdɒnɪk) /
adjective
characterized by irony, mockery, or derision
Derived forms of sardonic
sardonically, adverbsardonicism, nounWord Origin for sardonic
C17: from French sardonique, from Latin sardonius, from Greek sardonios derisive, literally: of Sardinia, alteration of Homeric sardanios scornful (laughter or smile)
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