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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread the difference between sardonic and saturnine #174168 02/29/2008 11:47 PM Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1 dissentathy stranger dissentathy stranger Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1 can anyone clarify the difference Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: the difference between sardonic and saturnine dissentathy #174194 03/01/2008 3:56 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,027 Switzerland wsieber old hand wsieber old hand Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1,027 Switzerland according to the OED, sardonic means "exhibiting bitterness, scorn or mockery" (mostly in the expression "sardonic smile"). It is not related to "saturnine", which means "sluggish, cold and gloomy in temperament". The only common ground of these words is their negative tone. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: the difference between sardonic and saturnine wsieber #174200 03/01/2008 6:56 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass I can't totally agree with the previous, as in AHD4: 2a. Melancholy or sullen. b. Having or marked by a tendency to be bitter or sardonic: a saturnine expression on his face. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: the difference between sardonic and saturnine tsuwm #174314 03/07/2008 5:38 AM Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 2 latin101 stranger latin101 stranger Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 2 My take on this is that one would be actively sardondic but passively saturnine. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: the difference between sardonic and saturnine latin101 #174334 03/07/2008 6:39 PM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague BranShea Carpal Tunnel BranShea Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,295 Netherlands, the Hague Yes, but that one need not be one and the same person. I mean, one could be sardonic without ever being saturnine. And the other way around. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,916 Posts230,452 Members9,211 Most Online17,319 Apr 8th, 2026 Newest Members Boo boo kitty fu, peterreineck, Peripatetic Toad, JerryC, blvd 9,211 Registered Users Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 26 A C Bowden 4 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 11,264 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,974 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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