sententious

[ sen-ten-shuhs ]

/ sɛnˈtɛn ʃəs /

adjective

abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims: a sententious book.

given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.

given to or using pithy sayings or maxims: a sententious poet.

of the nature of a maxim; pithy.

Nearby words

sentential, sentential calculus, sentential connective, sentential function, sententially, sententious, sententiously, senti, sentience, sentient, sentiently

Origin of sententious

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin sententiōsus meaningful. See sentence, -ous

SYNONYMS FOR sententious

2 preachy, didactic, sanctimonious, moralistic.

Related forms

sen·ten·tious·ly, adverbsen·ten·tious·ness, sen·ten·ti·os·i·ty

[sen-ten-shee-os-i-tee] /sɛnˌtɛn ʃiˈɒs ɪ ti/, nounnon·sen·ten·tious, adjectivenon·sen·ten·tious·ly, adverb

non·sen·ten·tious·ness, nounun·sen·ten·tious, adjectiveun·sen·ten·tious·ly, adverbun·sen·ten·tious·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sententiously

"I told the paper I was in the camps of the Persians," he said sententiously.
Thirty|Howard Vincent O'Brien
"The rule is the rule," said Rose sententiously, suppressing the shouts of laughter that exploded silently in her heart.
A Virgin Heart|Remy de Gourmont
"I shall have it all lit by electricity as soon as possible; I wrote about it to-day," Mr. Carruthers announced, sententiously.
Red Hair|Elinor Glyn
"Esau was the brother of Israel," answered Manasseh sententiously.
The King of Schnorrers|Israel Zangwill

"They are wives and they are mothers," said Selma sententiously.
Unleavened Bread|Robert Grant

British Dictionary definitions for sententiously

sententious

/ (sɛnˈtɛnʃəs) /

adjective

characterized by or full of aphorisms, terse pithy sayings, or axioms

constantly using aphorisms, etc

tending to indulge in pompous moralizing

Derived Forms

sententiously, adverbsententiousness, noun

Word Origin for sententious

C15: from Latin sententiōsus full of meaning, from sententia; see sentence

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