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Definition of barbaric

barbaric

/bɑːrˈbær.ɪk/
bar · bar · ic
Adverb:barbarically
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barbaric Lexical Profile

barbaric Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Savagely cruel, exceedingly brutal, or inhumanly harsh.

Example

"Historians documented the barbaric treatment of prisoners during the medieval siege."

2

Primitive, unsophisticated, or lacking in cultural refinement and restraint.

Example

"The ancient banquet hall was decorated with heavy gold ornaments of a bold, barbaric splendor."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for barbaric

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'barbaric' and 'barbarous' overlap in meaning 'savagely cruel', 'barbaric' is also frequently used to describe things that are primitive, crude, or unrefined in taste or style, whereas 'barbarous' focuses more strictly on brutality and lack of civilization.

• Rhymes for barbaric

• Nearby Words

barbados
barbados lily
barbarian
barbaric
barbarically
barbarism
barbarity

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed via Middle French and Latin from Ancient Greek 'barbarikos' (foreign, strange, ignorant), derived from 'barbaros', an onomatopoeic word imitating the unintelligible speech of non-Greek speakers as 'bar-bar'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Barbaric. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/barbaric
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