bloody

Bloody is an English word with several related senses. As an adjective or noun adjunct, it can describe something connected with blood or stained by it, such as a bloody wound. More commonly, it functions as an intensifier in British English, adding emphasis to an adjective or verb (for example, “bloody awful,” “bloody good”). In American English the term is generally regarded as a strong vulgarism and is less acceptable in formal contexts.

Etymology and history: The term derives from the noun blood; early senses described things literally blood-related. The adverbial and adjectival intensifier sense developed in early modern English. The exact origin of the intensifier is uncertain, and attitudes toward the word have fluctuated over time, with periods of suppression and periods of broader acceptance in popular speech and media, especially in Britain.

Other uses and cultural presence: Bloody appears in various phrases and proper names, such as Bloody Mary (the cocktail named after Queen Mary I of England) and historical references like Bloody Sunday. It also features in film, literature, and music, where its shock value or rhetorical punch is employed intentionally.

See also: Blood; Bloody Mary; Bloody Sunday; British English usage; American English usage.