Sanguine

Quick meaning: Sanguine is an adjective meaning (literary) Having the colour of blood; blood red.

Meaning

(literary) Having the colour of blood; blood red.

More Meanings

1. Characterized by abundance and active circulation of blood.
2. Warm; ardent.
3. Anticipating the best; optimistic; confident; full of hope.
4. Blood colour; red.
5. (archaic) Full of blood; bloody.
6. (archaic) Bloodthirsty.
7. (obsolete, physiology) Having a bodily constitution characterised by a preponderance of blood over the other bodily humours, thought to be marked by irresponsible mirth; indulgent in pleasure to the exclusion of important matters.

Example Sentences

a sanguine temper

a sanguine bodily temperament

What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys!

I'm sanguine about the eventual success of the project.

Word Forms

• sanguines
• sanguining
• sanguined

Synonyms for sanguine

Depending on context, synonyms include incarnadine, debaucherous, sybaritic, animated, buoyant, spirited.

Antonyms for sanguine

Common opposites include despondent, gloomy, pessimistic.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include rubicund, ruddy, healthy, optimistic, bloody, gory.

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