barbaric

American  

[bahr-bar-ik] / bɑrˈbær ɪk /

adjective

1. without civilizing influences; uncivilized; primitive.

   barbaric invaders.

2. of, like, or befitting barbarians.

   a barbaric empire; barbaric practices.

3. crudely rich or splendid.

   barbaric decorations.

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barbaric British  

/ bɑːˈbærɪk /

adjective

1. of or characteristic of barbarians

2. primitive or unsophisticated; unrestrained

3. brutal

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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

Explanation

Things that are barbaric, are uncivilized and brutal. People have different opinions about hunting — for some, it's a way of life, and for others it's barbaric. You can use the adjective barbaric to describe anything that's needlessly cruel, whether it's the inhumane treatment of people by a barbaric government, or the barbaric way your neighbor treats his dog. Another, milder, definition of barbaric is unsophisticated or uncivilized, like the barbaric behavior of someone who belches loudly in a fancy restaurant. This meaning is echoed in the Greek root barbaros, which means "foreign or rude."

Example Sentences

Barbaric is an adjective that comes to mind.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2017

In his new book Barbaric Sport, Professor Marc Perelman argues that the media's spectacle of sport treats us as morons.

From The Guardian • Jul. 29, 2012

A lonely, haunted, brilliant man … John Healy of Barbaric Genius.

From The Guardian • May 24, 2012

His tone is a supercilious droning, very far from Rauschenberg's enthused, life-enhancing Barbaric Yawp.

From Time Magazine Archive

To illustrate the history of the island I select the following episode from Barbaric Tales.

From The Divine Adventure Volume IV by Macleod, Fiona

Related Words

• barbarous
• brutal
• cruel
• inhuman
• uncivilized