Cold-blooded
Meaning
Lacking emotion, empathy, or warmth, often describing someone who is cruel or acts without feeling.
Origin
The term 'cold-blooded' originates directly from the animal kingdom, referring to creatures like reptiles and amphibians whose body temperature is regulated externally, depending on their environment rather than internal metabolic processes. These animals often appear sluggish in cool temperatures and, to the human observer, might seem emotionless or detached. By the 17th century, this physiological observation was extended metaphorically to humans, describing individuals who exhibited a similar lack of warmth, empathy, or feeling, especially when performing cruel or calculated acts. The image of a creature that doesn't 'feel the cold' in the same way, or lacks a visible 'warmth,' provided a vivid descriptor for a human heart perceived to be equally unfeeling.
Examples
- The villain's cold-blooded decision to sacrifice his own allies shocked the audience.
- She delivered the bad news with such a cold-blooded demeanor that it was impossible to discern any regret.