sanguine English · revision 1476

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1378}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sanguin]], [[m|enm|sangueyn]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Klein 1966) [[bor|fro|sanguin]] (feminine ''sanguine''),^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|sanguineus|t=of blood, bloody, bloodthirsty]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[m|la|sanguis|t=blood]] (genitive [[m|la|sanguinis]]),^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) which is of uncertain origin.^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Blood-red (1378 in Barnhart; 1382 in the OED; late 14th century in Etymonline); it appears as a surname, ''Sanguin'', in 1194.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In medieval physiology a person in whom blood predominated over the other three [[humour|alt=humours]] was ''sanguine'' (c. 1386),^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Cresswell 2021) with a ruddy face and a disposition marked by courage, hope and amorousness.^(AHD)^(Abracadabra 2004)^(Cresswell 2021) Chaucer says of his Franklin, “Of his complexioun he was sangwyn”.^(Weekley 1921) From this the sense “cheerful, hopeful, confident” arose (1509 in Barnhart; about 1500 in Etymonline).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The sense “of or containing blood” dates from 1447,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and “bloodthirsty, sanguinary” from 1705, now only poetic.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) As a noun it names a blood-red colour, a red tincture in heraldry and a red chalk crayon used for drawing.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1194 – the surname ''Sanguin''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1378 – blood-red.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – having blood as the dominant humour.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1447 – of or containing blood.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1509 – cheerful, confident.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1705 – bloodthirsty.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Cheerfully confident; [[optimistic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a healthy, reddish colour; [[ruddy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of the colour of blood; red.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(history)'' Having blood as the dominant [[humour]], in medieval physiology, and the ruddy complexion and passionate, cheerful temperament thought to go with it.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Bloodthirsty; [[sanguinary]].^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A blood-red colour.^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A red chalk or crayon containing iron oxide, used in drawing.^(RHWU)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sanguinely]]

+ * [[sanguineness]]

+ * [[sanguinity]]

+ * [[nonsanguine]]

+ * [[oversanguine]]

+ * [[unsanguine]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[consanguine]]

+ * [[exsanguine]]

+ * [[sanguinary]]

+ * [[sangaree]]

+ * [[sangria]]

+ * [[exsanguinate]]

+ * [[consanguinity]]

+ * [[ensanguine]]

+ * [[humour]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Sanguine'' should not be confused with [[sanguinary]], “bloodthirsty”.^(Wiktionary)^(AHD) The two words share their source in Latin ''sanguis'', “blood”; the cheerful sense of ''sanguine'' comes from the medieval theory of the humours.^(AHD)^(Abracadabra 2004)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}