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sententious

 [sen-ten-shuhs]   Example Sentences Origin

sen·ten·tious

   [sen-ten-shuhs]
adjective
1.
abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims: a sententious book.
2.
given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.
3.
given to or using pithy sayings or maxims: a sententious poet.
4.
of the nature of a maxim; pithy.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin sententiōsus meaningful. See sentence, -ous

Related forms
sen·ten·tious·ly, adverb
sen·ten·tious·ness, sen·ten·ti·os·i·ty  [sen-ten-shee-os-i-tee] , noun
non·sen·ten·tious, adjective
non·sen·ten·tious·ly, adverb
non·sen·ten·tious·ness, noun
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un·sen·ten·tious, adjective
un·sen·ten·tious·ly, adverb
un·sen·ten·tious·ness, noun
COLLAPSE

Synonyms
2. preachy, didactic, sanctimonious, moralistic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Sententious is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
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Example Sentences
  • When he is not delivering sententious commonplaces or indulging in heavy whimsy, he makes an agreeable guide.
  • We need to stop wagging our sententious finger at other countries, focusing on what they are doing wrong.
  • They succeeded, becoming prosperous, and piety mingled with smugness made the whole family insufferably sententious.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
sententious (sɛnˈtɛnʃəs)
 
—adj
1.  characterized by or full of aphorisms, terse pithy sayings, or axioms
2.  constantly using aphorisms, etc
3.  tending to indulge in pompous moralizing
 
[C15: from Latin sententiōsus full of meaning, from sententia; see sentence]
 
sen'tentiously
 
—adv
 
sen'tentiousness
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

sententious
1440, "full of meaning," from M.Fr. sententieux, from L. sententiosus "full of meaning, pithy," from sententia "opinion, maxim" (see sentence). Meaning "addicted to pompous moralizing" first recorded 1598.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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