An intense and cruel desire to hurt people or see violence; a passionate craving for bloodshed.
Compound of Old English 'blod' (blood) and 'thyrst' (thirst), literally meaning 'thirst for blood.' This metaphorical expression emerged in the 16th century to describe an insatiable craving for violence, combining physical thirst with the idea of violent desire.
The phrase 'bloodthirst' reveals how humans use physical sensations to describe emotional states—just like we say we're 'starving' for attention or 'burning' with curiosity. Medieval and Renaissance writers loved this poetic way of describing villains, making it one of literature's most vivid insults.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.