sententiously

[ sen-ten-shuhs-lee ]

adverb

1. in the manner of a pithy saying or aphorism:

   “A camel is the only wealth that carries itself,” observed Digby sententiously.

2. in a way that is self-righteous or excessively moralizing:

   The novel is not sententiously written, but its lessons are clear and well taken.

Other Words From

• non·sen·ten·tious·ly adverb
• un·sen·ten·tious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sententiously¹

sententious ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

He thought there would be a great fight between the combatants; his dad hadn't finished yet, he declared, sententiously.

From Project Gutenberg

Girls ant what they used to be in my day, sententiously remarked an elderly lady.

From Project Gutenberg

"Time hangs heavily when there is nothing to do," sententiously remarked Mataseis.

From Project Gutenberg

"People always gain by talking with a man like your Excellency," sententiously replied Mataseis.

From Project Gutenberg

"It's the first duty of a citizen to obey the laws of his country," he proclaimed sententiously.

From Project Gutenberg