sanguine

Where does the word "sanguine" come from? It comes from Latin sanguis, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Sanguine’s story begins in Latin: sanguis meant “blood.” A sanguine temper came from an excess of blood, one of the four humours. Within Latin, it grew into sanguineus by ancient. Bloody, blood-red, from sanguis. From there it passed into Old French as sanguin by medieval. Carried into French for the blood-red color, later associated with a cheerful temperament. It reached English by 1300s as sanguine. Settled as the English word for being optimistic and confident. Today, sanguine means optimistic and confident, especially in a difficult or uncertain situation.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient sanguis "blood", a sanguine temper came from an excess of blood, one of the four humours.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient sanguineus "bloody, blood-red", bloody, blood-red, from sanguis.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval sanguin "blood-red, a cheerful temperament", carried into French for the blood-red color, later associated with a cheerful temperament.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s sanguine "optimistic and confident, especially in a difficult situation", settled as the English word for being optimistic and confident.