sanguinary

/ˌsæŋgwəˈnɛri/

Other forms: sanguinarily

When something is sanguinary it involves a lot of blood or, at least, the pursuit of blood. Vampire movies are sanguinary: Romper Room is not.

If you're familiar with French, then you'll recognize the French word for "blood," sang, in sanguinary. And if you do, then you'll have no trouble remembering the meaning, "having a bloodthirsty quality." Movies have become increasingly sanguinary. Why all the blood and gore? What happened to good old-fashioned suspense?

Definitions of sanguinary

1. adjective

   accompanied by bloodshed
   “this bitter and sanguinary war”

   synonyms: butcherly, gory, sanguineous, slaughterous

   bloody

   having or covered with or accompanied by blood
2. adjective

   marked by eagerness to resort to violence and bloodshed
   “"went after the collaborators with a sanguinary fury that drenched the land with blood"-G.W.Johnson”

   synonyms: bloodthirsty, bloody-minded

   bloody

   having or covered with or accompanied by blood