Sententious is an adjective that describes someone or something that is characterized by the use of moralizing language, often in a pompous or self-righteous manner. It is derived from the Latin word sententia, which means 'OPINION' or 'SENTENCE'. The term can also be used to describe someone who speaks in a TERSE and SIGNIFICANT manner. Terseness is the quality of being concise and to the point, while significance is the quality of being important or having great meaning. Therefore, someone or something that is sententious is someone or something that speaks in a TERSE and SIGNIFICANT manner, often with moralizing language.