sententious

WOTD - 2 December 2009    

English

Etymology

From Latin sententiōsus, from sententia (“opinion, purpose”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /sɛnˈtɛn.ʃəs/
• (UK) IPA: /sɛnˈtɛnt.ʃəs/

Adjective

sententious (comparative more sententious, superlative most sententious)

1. (obsolete) Full of meaning.
2. Using as few words as possible; pithy and concise.
3. Tending to use aphorisms or maxims, especially given to trite moralizing.

Synonyms

• (using as few words as possible): concise, pithy
• (tending to use aphorisms): aphoristic

Derived terms

• sententiously
• sententiousness

Related terms

• sentential

Translations

obsolete: full of meaning

Swedish: konsis (sv)

using as few words as possible

Finnish: ytimekäs (fi), niukkasanainen (fi), lyhytsanainen (fi), tiivis (fi) French: concis (fr), laconique (fr), succint (fr) Italian: conciso (it), succinto (it), laconico (it)

Russian: афористичный (ru), краткий (ru), сжатый (ru), лаконичный (ru) Spanish: conciso (es), lacónico (es), sucinto (es)

tending to use aphorisms or maxims

French: sentencieux (fr), pédant (fr), pontifiant (fr) Russian: нравоучительный (ru); менторский (ru), сентенциозный (ru)

Spanish: sentencioso (es)