sententious — given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner; making or containing pithy observations or sayings
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner; making or containing pithy observations or sayings
Pronunciation (IPA): /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/
Example Sentences
- The politician's sententious speech about honesty was ironic given his recent scandal.
- My grandfather becomes sententious after his third cup of coffee, dispensing life advice to anyone within earshot.
- Her sententious Instagram captions about mindfulness were met with eye-rolls from her friends.
sententious
ADJECTIVE[/sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/]
given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner; making or containing pithy observations or sayings
A sententious speaker delivers unsolicited moral wisdom from a park bench
The sententious speaker stands high, dispensing pithy declarations with pride—each maxim a grand pronouncement that can't be denied
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'sententia' meaning 'opinion' or 'judgment.' Originally referred to wise sayings, but evolved to describe pompous, preachy speech.
Breakdown
sententi- (opinion/judgment) + -ous (adjective suffix meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The politician's sententious speech about honesty was ironic given his recent scandal.”
“My grandfather becomes sententious after his third cup of coffee, dispensing life advice to anyone within earshot.”
“Her sententious Instagram captions about mindfulness were met with eye-rolls from her friends.”
“The self-help book was criticized for its sententious tone rather than practical advice.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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