Brutus

[ broo-tuhs ]

/ ˈbru təs /

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See synonyms for Brutus on Thesaurus.com

noun

Marcus Jun·ius

[joon-yuhs], /ˈdʒun yəs/, 85?–42 b.c., Roman provincial administrator: one of the assassins of Julius Caesar.

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Words nearby Brutus

brute, brute force, brute-force attack, brutify, brutish, Brutus, Brutus is an honorable man, brux, Bruxelles, bruxism, BRV

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Brutus in a sentence

Fearful that he might yet stab them in the back, the British gave him the codename “Brutus.”
War’s Most Powerful Weapon: Double Agents from WWII to Al Qaeda|Ben Macintyre|July 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Rarely is it ever a cause as noble or as poetic as it was when Brutus stabbed Caesar.
Lights, Camera, Cocktails|Brody Brown|July 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
This is like Brutus complaining that he wanted to be invited to Caesar's funeral—and in this case he actually was.
Erasing Dan Rather|Lloyd Grove|September 16, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Brutus Cohn, traveling under the passport name of John Lamb, tracked the wheelchair down the sidewalk.
Danger Stalks Lucas Davenport|Daily Beast Promotions|May 11, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Brutus was getting well, but there would always be a scar on his shoulder, where the sharp-pointed shrub had entered the flesh.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes
The confusion in this direction is well illustrated by the name of the famous Marcus Junius Brutus.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston
There were mothers then, as well as in the times of the Gracchi; there were wives as noble as the wife of Marcus Brutus.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston
A gleam from the lantern showed it; the key-hole was old-fashioned as also described, and in a moment brutus had it open.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade
In short, in less than half an hour he returned with our old acquaintances, brutus and mephistopheles.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade

British Dictionary definitions for Brutus

Brutus

/ (ˈbruːtəs) /

noun

Lucius Junius (ˈluːʃəs ˈdʒuːnɪəs). late 6th century bc, Roman statesman who ousted the tyrant Tarquin (509) and helped found the Roman republic

Marcus Junius (ˈmɑːkəs ˈdʒuːnɪəs) ?85–42 bc, Roman statesman who, with Cassius, led the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar (44): committed suicide after being defeated by Antony and Octavian (Augustus) at Philippi (42)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Brutus (1 of 2)

Brutus

A character in the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare; one of the assassins of Julius Caesar. (See “Brutus is an honorable man,” “Et tu, Brute?” and “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”)

Cultural definitions for Brutus (2 of 2)

Brutus

An ancient Roman politician who helped assassinate his friend Julius Caesar.

notes for Brutus

Brutus is a leading character in the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare.

notes for Brutus

Caesar is said to have addressed Brutus with the words Et tu, Brute? (“Even you, Brutus?”) as Brutus stabbed him. This sentence has become a proverbial response to betrayal.