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Added 9 October 2026

bloody

/ˈblʌ.di/ adjective

In Latin: sanguineus, sanguinans, cruentus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about bloody at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Covered in blood.
All that remained of his right hand after the accident was a bloody stump.
Characterised by bloodshed.
There have been bloody battles between the two tribes.
Used as an intensifier.
Traffic in central London was a bloody mess this morning.

adverb

Used to express anger, annoyance, or shock, or for emphasis.

verb

To stain with blood.
The butcher often bloodied his apron in the course of his work.
To draw blood from (one's opponent) in a fight.
To demonstrably harm (the cause of an opponent). (Can we add an example for this sense?)

noun

Ellipsis of bloody mary.

Origin

From Middle English blody, blodi, from Old English blōdiġ, blōdeġ (“bloody”), from Proto-West Germanic *blōdag, from Proto-Germanic *blōþagaz (“bloody”), equivalent to blood + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bläidich, blöidig, blouderch (“bloody”), West Frisian bloedich (“bloody”), Dutch bloedig (“bloody”), German Low German blödig (“bloody”), German blutig (“bloody”), Danish blodig (“bloody”), Swedish blodig (“bloody”), Faroese blóðigur (“bloody”), Icelandic blóðugur (“bloody”). See Wikipedia for thoughts on sense evolution.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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