barbaric
Americanadjective
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without civilizing influences; uncivilized; primitive.
barbaric invaders.
-
of, like, or befitting barbarians.
a barbaric empire; barbaric practices.
-
crudely rich or splendid.
barbaric decorations.
adjective
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of or characteristic of barbarians
-
primitive or unsophisticated; unrestrained
-
brutal
Usage
What does barbaric mean? Barbaric means crude, uncivilized, or primitive. It’s often used to describe things that are cruel or brutal in a way that’s considered entirely uncivilized.Barbaric is also used to describe things that involve people considered barbarians—people who are extremely crude and uncivilized.The term barbarian was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to refer to any foreigner. In ancient and medieval times, it was variously used to refer to non-Greeks, non-Romans, and non-Christians. The term eventually became associated with a stereotypical image of barbarians as primitive and brutish.Like the word savage, the word barbarian can be very offensive due to its use to dehumanize the people that it’s applied to, especially in a way that calls attention to their otherness or the supposed primitiveness of their culture or customs. Barbaric can also imply these same things, especially when it’s applied to the practices of a culture other than one’s own.The related word barbarous also means uncivilized, crude, or cruel.Example: We need to put an end to this barbaric violence.
Related Words
See barbarian.
Other Word Forms
- barbarically adverb
- nonbarbaric adjective
- prebarbaric adjective
Etymology
Origin of barbaric
1480–90; < Latin barbaricus < Greek barbarikós. See barbarous, -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But "he's not the monster or the barbaric prisoner that they're saying," said Ada, whom AFP contacted through his lawyer.
From Barron's
“There’s a tendency to view anything African-derived as ‘barbaric,’ while turning a blind eye to widespread animal slaughter in other contexts,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times
"Our thoughts are with all the innocent victims impacted and we expect the relevant authorities to hold those responsible for these barbaric acts to account."
From BBC
Over the last five days, Rima says she has witnessed "barbaric" scenes.
From BBC
But such practices didn’t jibe with increasingly modern economies, and colonialists, especially in North America, saw burning as both barbaric and a threat to industrialized capitalism.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
