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

See Examples For:

brute brutes bruted bruting

The stand-out villain of “The Furious,” a bald bruiser played by Orange County-born Brian Le, moves like an 8-bit video game brute, wobbling his ankles before he falls down and goes boom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

He is in a brute profession with a brute standard—winning, period—and a long tradition of ignoring all sorts of regrettable employee behavior so long as the victories continue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

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

From BBC ● Apr. 18, 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

Perhaps the great brute was just working up an appetite by talking about food.

From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl

Except from behind the windshield, where he views the world as teeming with schemers and brutes, acting on all manner of Machiavellian impulses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2025

But it made a few of the par 4s, such as the 490-yard first and the 465-yard fifth, play like brutes.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

His uncompromising hostility toward revolutionaries inspired Thomas Paine to remark in 1776, “Even brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their families.”

From National Geographic ● Jul. 3, 2023

Both figures exist within the same body; both are brutes, in their way.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2023

“They’ve scented a marten, that’s all. Those brutes stink so strong even I could pick up their smell!”

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

Certayne dayes after that the Lorde Antonio had bruted the maryage of his daughter, many Gentlemen were suters, so wel for the excellency of hir Beauty, as for hir great Rychesse and reuenue.

From The Palace of Pleasure Volume 3 by Painter, William

The wisedome of the Duke also was wonderfully extolled and commended of all men, the fame whereof was increased and bruted throughout the Region of Italy.

From The Palace of Pleasure Volume 3 by Painter, William

The like forged inuencion haue thei wrote, of the migh- The battaill of Troie .x. yeres for a herlotte. tie and terrible battaill bruted of Troie, for a beautifull har- lot susteined ten yeres.

From A booke called the Foundacion of Rhetorike because all other partes of Rhetorike are grounded thereupon, euery parte sette forthe in an Oracion vpon questions, verie profitable to bee knowen and redde by Rainolde, Richard

The newes of the taking of king Richard was anon bruted and blowne ouer all Germanie, wherevpon the emperour Henrie the sixt, the sonne of 1193.

From Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (6 of 12) Richard the First by Holinshed, Raphael

The fame and glorie of Britaine. to see this noble Islande of Britain, whose fame for nobilitée was knowen and bruted, not onelie in Rome, but also in the vttermoste lādes.

From A booke called the Foundacion of Rhetorike because all other partes of Rhetorike are grounded thereupon, euery parte sette forthe in an Oracion vpon questions, verie profitable to bee knowen and redde by Rainolde, Richard

Stones of fancy shape, such as square, or cushion shape, have to be formed in part by hand rubbing or "bruting" as it is called.

From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Wade, Frank Bertram

Related Words

• beast
• critter
• lout