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
Read the Latest from M-W
Examples of sanguinary in a Sentence
a movie so sanguinary that I covered my eyes during at least half of it
Origin and Etymology of sanguinary
Latin sanguinarius, from sanguin-, sanguis blood
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
Learn More about sanguinary
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up sanguinary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!