First Known Use: circa 1623
Dictionary
sanguinary
adjective san·gui·nary \ˈsaŋ-gwə-ˌner-ē\
Definition of SANGUINARY
1
: bloodthirsty, murderous <sanguinary hatred>
2
: attended by bloodshed : bloody <this bitter and sanguinary war — T. H. D. Mahoney>
3
: consisting of blood <a sanguinary stream>
— san·gui·nar·i·ly \ˌsaŋ-gwə-ˈner-ə-lē\ adverb
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Origin of SANGUINARY
Latin sanguinarius, from sanguin-, sanguis blood
Related to SANGUINARY
- Synonyms
- bloody, bloody-minded, homicidal, murdering, murderous, bloodthirsty, sanguine, sanguineous
Synonym Discussion of SANGUINARY
bloody, sanguinary, gory mean affected by or involving the shedding of blood. bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood <bloody hands>. sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed <the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict>. gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter <exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie>.
Rhymes with SANGUINARY
actuary, adversary, airy-fairy, ancillary, antiquary, apiary, arbitrary, aviary, axillary, bacillary, beriberi, bestiary, biliary, black raspberry, Bloody Mary, boysenberry, breviary, budgetary, calamari, calamary, candleberry, Canterbury, capillary, carpellary, cassowary, catenary, cautionary, cavitary, cemetery, centenary, certiorari, checkerberry, chinaberry, cometary, commentary, commissary, condottiere, coralberry, corollary, coronary, culinary, customary, dictionary, dietary, dignitary, dromedary, dysentery, elderberry, emissary, estuary, farkleberry, February, formulary, fragmentary, fritillary, functionary, funerary, honorary, huckleberry, intermarry, janissary, January, lamasery, lapidary, lectionary, legendary, legionary, lingonberry, literary, loganberry, luminary, mammillary, mandatary, maxillary, medullary, mercenary, miliary, military, millenary, milliary, millinery, missionary, momentary, monastery, mortuary, necessary, ordinary, ossuary, partridgeberry, pensionary, pigmentary, planetary, Pondicherry, prebendary, presbytery, pulmonary, quaternary, red mulberry, reliquary, rowanberry, salivary, salmonberry, salutary, sanctuary, sanitary, secondary, secretary, sedentary, seminary, silverberry, solitary, sour cherry, stationary, stationery, statuary, subcontrary, sublunary, sugarberry, sumptuary, syllabary, temporary, tertiary, thimbleberry, Tipperary, Tom and Jerry, topiary, tributary, tutelary, Typhoid Mary, unitary, urinary, vestiary, Virgin Mary, visionary, voluntary, vulnerary, Waterbury, whortleberry, winterberry
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