sangfroid

noun

sang·​froid ˌsäŋ-ˈf(r)wä  ˈsäⁿ-ˈf(r)wä 

: self-possession or imperturbability especially under strain

Did you know?

Sangfroid comes from the French term sang-froid, which literally translates as “cold blood.” When describing amphibians and reptiles, cold-blooded means “having a body temperature that is similar to the temperature of the environment,” but to dub a person cold-blooded is to say that the person shows no sympathy or mercy to others. By the mid-1700s, English speakers had been using cold-blooded to describe the ruthless among them for more than a century, but in sangfroid they found a way to put a positive spin on the idea of ice in the veins: they borrowed the French term to describe the quality of someone who keeps their composure under strain—that is, not a “cold fish” or “icicle” but someone who is cool as a cucumber.

Synonyms

• composure

Choose the Right Synonym for sangfroid

equanimity, composure, sangfroid mean evenness of mind under stress.

equanimity suggests a habit of mind that is only rarely disturbed under great strain.

accepted her troubles with equanimity

composure implies the controlling of emotional or mental agitation by an effort of will or as a matter of habit.

maintaining his composure even under hostile questioning

sangfroid implies great coolness and steadiness under strain.

handled the situation with professional sangfroid

Examples of sangfroid in a Sentence

He displayed remarkable sangfroid when everyone else was panicking during the crisis.

the professional gambler seemed to take both his wins and his losses with remarkable sangfroid

Recent Examples on the Web

The executives’ programming strategies belie their sangfroid. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Nov. 2022

But this was Alcaraz’s time to shine, his turn to show off the speed and stamina, the skill and sangfroid, of a champion. —Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022

Much like her mastery of language, Harini puts plenty of work into her onstage sangfroid. —Ben Nuckols, ajc, 2 June 2022

Born in Philadelphia and educated at Bennington College, Taylor has excelled at playing characters with a certain sandpapery sangfroid. —Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

French sang-froid, literally, cold blood

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above

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