Sententious Meaning and Definition
Sententious
Pronunciation
/sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/
Part of Speech
Adjective
Definition
Conveying moral lessons or values in a pompous or overly serious manner.
Examples
- The professor’s sententious statements about responsibility were often mocked by the students.
- The politician’s sententious speeches were criticized for being overly dramatic and lacking substance.
Synonyms
- Moralizing
- Straight-laced
- Puritanical
Antonyms
- Lighthearted
- Humorous
- Whimsical
Etymology
The word “sententious” originated in the 15th century from the Latin “sententiosus,” meaning “full of moral sentences” or “moralizing.”
Usage Notes
Sententious is often used to describe language, behavior, or attitudes that are excessively serious, moral, or pedantic. It can be used to criticize someone for being too self-righteous or sermonizing.
Cultural References
Sententious has been used in various forms of literature and media, including in the works of authors such as Jane Austen and George Bernard Shaw.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
The phrase “sententious remarks” is often used to describe overly serious or moralizing comments.
Related Words or Phrases
- Moralistic
- Pious
- Censorious
Collocations
- Sententious speech
- Sententious behavior
- Sententious tone
Frequency of Use
Sententious is a relatively rare word in modern language, often used in formal or literary contexts.
Common Misspellings
- Sententuous
- Sentencious
- Sentennis