Hunnish

American  

[huhn-ish] / ˈhʌn ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Huns.

2. (sometimes lowercase) barbarous; destructive.

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hunnish British  

/ ˈhʌnɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Huns

2. barbarously destructive; vandalistic

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Other Word Forms

• Hunnishly adverb
• Hunnishness noun

Etymology

Origin of Hunnish

First recorded in 1810–20; Hun + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

We will call on the Hunnish people To arm them with spear and with shield.—

From Stories and Ballads of the Far Past Translated from the Norse (Icelandic and Faroese) with Introductions and Notes by Kershaw, Nora

Of all the craft and cunning nothing yet knew he, Wherewith about her kinsmen the queen her toils had wound, That not a soul among them came back from Hunnish ground.

From The Nibelungenlied Revised Edition by Unknown

These Gurjaras appear to have entered India in connexion with the Hunnish invasions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6 "English Language" to "Epsom Salts" by Various

Old Fritz—just as we intended he should—caught the reflection of the flame through his upturned periscope and, thinking his shells had set us afire, rose gleefully to gloat over his Hunnish handiwork.

From Sea-Hounds by Freeman, Lewis R.

There appear to be reminiscences of this story in Saxo, Book V, e.g. in regard to the numbering of the Hunnish forces.

From Stories and Ballads of the Far Past Translated from the Norse (Icelandic and Faroese) with Introductions and Notes by Kershaw, Nora