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; 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

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 by the sheer brute force of its size, bond markets force both the subjects of its wrath, and the investors that rely on them, into submission.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

Unlike LIV Golf, which it has been frequently compared to, R360 does not have the brute force of Saudi Arabian state money behind it.

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

Merry himself slew the leader, a great squint-eyed brute like a huge orc.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Related Words

• beast
• critter
• lout