brute

¹ American  

[broot] / brut /

noun

1. a nonhuman creature; beast.

2. a brutal, insensitive, or crude person.

3. the animal qualities, desires, etc., of humankind.

   Father felt that rough games brought out the brute in us.

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adjective

1. animal; not human.

2. not characterized by intelligence or reason; irrational.

3. characteristic of animals; of brutal character or quality.

4. savage; cruel.

   brute force.

5. carnal; sensual.

brute ² American  

[broot] / brut /

verb (used with object)

bruted, bruting

1. to shape (a diamond) by rubbing with another diamond or a diamond chip.

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brute British  

/ bruːt /

noun

1. 1. any animal except man; beast; lower animal

   2. ( as modifier )

      brute nature

2. a brutal person

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adjective

1. wholly instinctive or physical (esp in the phrases brute strength, brute force )

2. without reason or intelligence

3. coarse and grossly sensual

Related Words

See animal.

Other Word Forms

• brutelike
  adjective
• brutely
  adverb
• bruteness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of brute¹

First recorded in 1425–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin brūtus “heavy, devoid of feeling, irrational”

Origin of brute²

First recorded in 1900–05; back formation from bruting “rough hewing (of a diamond),” partial translation of French brutage literally, “a roughing,” equivalent to brut “rough, raw” + -age; see origin at brute ¹, -age

Explanation

His road rage may turn your dad into a brute when he gets behind the wheel. A brute is a person who is as ferocious as a wild animal. A violent, savage person can be described as a brute, and so can a wild animal. Someone who's less monstrous but is still unpleasant can also be a brute, and it can be used as an adjective to mean, basically, "brutal." If it's more animal than human, you can call it brute, like the brute power of an invading army. The Latin brutus, "heavy, dull, or stupid," gave rise to brute, which through the 15th century only referred to animals.

Example Sentences

And to think he still operates with such brute force that he was shoving Rocket defenders all over the court.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

It was not just about brute force, though, there were deft touches too.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

This strategy depends on intelligence rather than brute force.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Through Spear’s resurrection, “Primal” is quietly delivering a zombie drama that’s strangely life-affirming, led by a tenderhearted brute who is sensitive to the other voiceless, helpless beings around him.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2026

And always it casts the person using it into a category of brute ignorance.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

Related Words

• beast
• critter
• lout