brute

CEFRC1

/bɹuːt/

noun · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A person or animal that behaves violently or without thought.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Using great physical force rather than skill.

Examples

  • He is a brute to his children.

  • I memorized the fact sheet through sheer brute force.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /bɹut/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Characteristic of unthinking animals; senseless, unreasoning (of humans).

  2. Unconnected with intelligence or thought; purely material, senseless.

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Without reason or intelligence (of animals).

More examples

In context

  • I got the door open through brute force.

  • the brute earth; the brute powers of nature

  • Don't be a brute.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The enormous wrestler lifted the car with pure physical strength, proving he was a true blank off the mat.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle French brut, from Old French brut, from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid, insensible”), an Oscan loanword, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us (“heavy”). Cognate with Ancient Greek βαρύς (barús), Persian گران (gerân) and Sanskrit गुरु (gurú) (English guru).