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sanguinario

bloodthirsty

adjective sahn-gwee-NAH-ryoh Rare

Origin: From Latin sanguinarius, from sanguis (blood).

Also means

savage

Usage Note

Sanguinario describes a person or entity characterized by a love of bloodshed — a tiranno sanguinario is a bloodthirsty tyrant. It is a strong, literary term and not used lightly. The base noun sangue (blood) is related; sanguinoso (bloody) describes something covered in blood, which is a different nuance.

Examples

"Il dittatore era crudele e sanguinario."

Natural Translation

The dictator was cruel and bloodthirsty.

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