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Webster 1913 Edition

Barbarian

Bar-ba′ri-an

,
Noun.
[See
Barbarous
.]
1.
A foreigner.
[Historical]
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a
barbarian
, and he that speaketh shall be a
barbarian
unto me.
1 Cor. xiv. 11.
2.
A man in a rude, savage, or uncivilized state.
3.
A person destitute of culture.
M. Arnold.
4.
A cruel, savage, brutal man; one destitute of pity or humanity.
“Thou fell barbarian.”
Philips.

Bar-ba′ri-an

,
Adj.
Of, or pertaining to, or resembling, barbarians; rude; uncivilized; barbarous;
as,
barbarian
governments or nations
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Barbarian

BARBA'RIAN

,
Noun.
[L. barbarus;. The sense is, foreign, wild, fierce.]
1.
A man in his rude, savage state; an uncivilized person.
2.
A cruel, savage, brutal man; one destitute of pity or humanity.
3.
A foreigner. The Greeks and Romans denominated most foreign nations barbarians; and many of these were less civilized than themselves, or unacquainted with their language, laws and manners. But with them,the word was less reproachful than with us.

BARBA'RIAN

,
Adj.
Belonging to savages; rude; uncivilized.
2.
Cruel; inhuman.
34

Definition 2024

barbarian

barbarian

See also: barbarían

English

Adjective

barbarian ‎(not comparable)

  1. Relating to people, countries or customs perceived as uncivilized or inferior.

Synonyms

Translations

Noun

barbarian ‎(plural barbarians)

  1. An uncivilized or uncultured person, originally compared to the hellenistic Greco-Roman civilisation; often associated with fighting or other such shows of strength.
  2. (derogatory) Someone from a developing country or backward culture.
  3. A warrior, clad in fur or leather, associated with sword and sorcery stories.
  4. (derogatory) A person destitute of culture; a Philistine.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of M. Arnold to this entry?)
  5. A cruel, savage, brutal person; one without pity or humanity.
    • Philips
      Thou fell barbarian.

Translations

Related terms

Etymology

From Middle English, from Medieval Latin barbarinus ‎(“Berber, pagan, Saracen, barbarian”), from Latin barbaria ‎(“foreign country”), from barbarus ‎(“foreigner, savage”), from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος ‎(bárbaros, “foreign, non-Greek, strange”), onomatopoeic (mimicking foreign languages, akin to 'blah', 'blah'), cognate to Sanskrit बर्बर ‎(barbara, “barbarian, non-Aryan, stammering, blockhead”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /bɑː(ɹ).ˈbɛə.ɹi.ən/
  • (US) IPA(key): /bɑɹ.ˈbɛɹ.i.ən/

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