Barbarous Meaning
/ˈbɑː(ɹ)bəɹəs/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjNot classical or pure.
adjUncivilized, uncultured.
Sentence Examples
There are still barbarous nations.
In revenge and in love woman is more barbarous than man is.
The slaughter of the prisoners was a barbarous act.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The villagers were shocked by the ____ treatment of prisoners.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The act was so ____ that it was condemned by everyone in the town.
Word Origin & History
Late Middle English, from Latin barbarus (“foreigner, savage”), from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “foreign, strange”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"He, that would write exactly, muſt avoid a Barbarous Pronunciation, and conſider for facility, or thorow miſtake, many words are not ſounded after the beſt dialect. Such as […] Wun, one."
— 1687, Chriſtopher Cooper, “Chap. XIX: Of Barbarous Speaking”, in The Engliſh Teacher, London: John Richardſon, for the Author, pages 77-78; republished Menston: Scolar Press, 1969:
"The original Turkish tongue was somewhat barbarous, but extremely forcible and concise when spoken."
— 1880, Charles Wells, “Introduction to the second edition”, in James Redhouse, Redhouse's Turkish Dictionary, page vii:
"[T]he poticaries and barbarus wryters call it [the iris] Irios in the genetiue caſe."
— 1562, Wylliam Turner [i.e., William Turner], “Of the Herbe Called in Latin Irio”, in The Second Parte of Guilliam Turners Herball⸝ […], Cologne: […] Arnold Birckman, →OCLC, folio 23, recto:
"It is the remark of an ingenious writer, should a barbarous Indian, who had never seen a palace or a ship, view their separate and disjointed parts, and observe the pillars, doors, windows, cornices and turrets of the one, or the prow and stern, the ribs and masts, the ropes and shrouds, the sails and tackle of the other, he would be able to form but a very lame and dark idea of either of those excellent and useful inventions."
— 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
"I felt vaguely he was a sneak, and remained quite unmollified by advances on his side, which, in a boy's barbarous fashion, unless it suited me to be magnanimous, I haughtily ignored."
— 1923, Walter de la Mare, Seaton's Aunt:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The villagers were shocked by the ____ treatment of prisoners.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The act was so ____ that it was condemned by everyone in the town.