What this suffix does
-blooded combines with a temperature word to describe someone's temperament: cold-blooded (unemotional, calculating), hot-blooded (passionate, impulsive).
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Suffix · forms adjectives
-blooded
Combines with a temperature word to describe someone's temperament: cold-blooded (unemotional, calculating) and hot-blooded (passionate, impulsive).
In Spanish: de sangre / de temperamentoIntermediate
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
It also has a literal, biological sense
"warm-blooded" and "cold-blooded" are also real biology terms: mammals and birds are warm-blooded, reptiles are cold-blooded. "full-blooded" = purebred, or fully committed and enthusiastic about something.
How it is formed
Temperature/intensity word + blooded.
- cold + bloodedcold-blooded (calculating, no emotion)
- hot + bloodedhot-blooded (passionate, impulsive)
- full + bloodedfull-blooded (full energy, holding nothing back)
This is not a productive rule you can apply freely: it is a closed set of fixed expressions. Learn them one by one as set phrases.
How it is pronounced
-blooded
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Base word
With -blooded
In a phrase
- coldcold-bloodedIt was a cold-blooded decision. He didn't care who got hurt.
- hothot-bloodedHe's hot-blooded. He gets angry over the smallest things.
- warmwarm-bloodedDogs and cats are warm-blooded animals.
- fullfull-bloodedThe band gave a full-blooded performance that the crowd loved.
- redred-bloodedEvery red-blooded fan was cheering by the end of the game.
Common mistakes
cold-blooded = having a naturally cold body temperature (biological only)
cold-blooded most commonly means showing no emotion or remorse
"Cold-blooded" in everyday English nearly always means "done or performed without emotion, mercy, or remorse." A "cold-blooded killer" is one who acts deliberately and without feeling. The biological meaning (unable to regulate body temperature internally) still exists, but the figurative use is far more common in general writing.
warm-blooded = kind and emotional
warm-blooded (biological) means maintaining constant body temperature
"Warm-blooded" in biological contexts means an organism regulates its own body temperature (homeothermy). It is NOT a figurative term for emotional warmth — that would be "warmhearted." Do not confuse these: "warm-blooded" is for biology; "warmhearted" is for personality.
A trick to remember it
Picture a thermometer measuring blood: cold-BLOODED = low reading (unemotional, or literally reptile). hot-BLOODED = high reading (passionate, impulsive). The blood thermometer is your emotional thermometer.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"hot-blooded" describes someone who is...
Frequently asked questions
What does the suffix -blooded mean in English?
The suffix -blooded combines with a temperature word to describe someone's temperament: cold-blooded (unemotional, calculating) and hot-blooded (passionate, impulsive). In Spanish it usually maps to de sangre / de temperamento.
Can you give an example of a word with -blooded?
"cold" becomes "cold-blooded". It is a typical example of the -blooded suffix.
Other useful suffixes
-headed
having a specified type of mental clarity, character, or state of mind
-hearted
Describes someone's emotional character: warmhearted (kind, affectionate) and coldhearted (unfeeling, unkind).
-tempered
Describes someone's emotional character: even-tempered (calm, steady) versus hot-tempered (quick to anger).
Learn every English suffix
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