brute

¹ American  

[broot] / brut /

noun

brutes plural

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

Synonym Usage

See animal.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bruteness
  noun
• brutelike
  adjective
• brutely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• brutes
  plural

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

If you spot a guy swaggering like a brute from Eternia on the sidewalk, masked or not, he probably thinks he’s more awesome than everyone else does.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Their brute force bludgeoned Scotland time and again.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

John Shaw, Magnus’s deputy, is a brute and a bully; Abel Walker, Magnus’s nephew, is a young innocent; Tom Hearn is a sailor who trained as a cleric and speaks the indigenous languages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Previously understood as a notorious brute even by 19th-century standards, Heathcliff now exhibits signs of having earned perfect grades in today’s campus training modules.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

If only the brute would stay still for a moment he might catch the Witch’s heel.

From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis

Related Words

• beast
• critter
• lout