Sanguinity

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A disposition that reflects a hopeful and positive demeanor while facing life's adversities
2. The quality of having a confident and cheerful outlook even when confronting difficulties
3. An optimistic mindset characterized by positive expectations about the future despite challenges

Etymology: Sanguinity is a plain formation: the adjective "sanguine" with the suffix "-ity" added. "Sanguine" comes from Latin "sanguineus", meaning "of blood," from "sanguis," blood. Its original sense was physical, tied to the medieval theory of the four bodily humours, in which an excess of blood produced a cheerful, hopeful temperament. That is why a word about blood came to describe optimism. The noun itself is later and quieter. It descends through Old French and Middle English, where a related form, "sanguinite," already existed in the sense of blood relationship, as in "consanguinity." English then added its own "-ity" ending, the same suffix found in words like "generosity" and "vanity," to make a noun for the quality of being sanguine. The result carries the humoural optimism of its adjective into abstract use.

Synonyms: optimism, hopefulness, confidence, cheerfulness, positivity

Antonyms: pessimism, despair, gloom, cynicism, negativity