barbarian
See also: barbarían
English
Etymology
Middle English barbarian, borrowed 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”), possibly onomatopoeic (mimicking foreign languages, akin to English blah blah). Cognate to Sanskrit बर्बर (barbara, “barbarian, non-Aryan, stammering, blockhead”).
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 159: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value UK is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /bɑː(ɹ).ˈbɛə.ɹi.ən/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 159: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value US is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /bɑɹ.ˈbɛəɹ.i.ən/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -ɛəɹiən
Adjective
barbarian (not comparable)
Synonyms
Translations
uncivilized
|
Noun
barbarian (plural barbarians)
- (historical) A non-Greek or a non-Roman.
- An uncivilized or uncultured person, originally compared to the hellenistic Greco-Roman civilisation; often associated with fighting or other such shows of strength.
- (derogatory) Someone from a developing country or backward culture.
- A warrior, clad in fur or leather, associated with sword and sorcery stories.
- (derogatory) A person destitute of culture; a Philistine.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of M. Arnold to this entry?)
- 1725, Anthony Blackwall, The Sacred Classics Defended And Illustrated
- Shall a noble writer, and an inspired noble writer, be called a solecist, and barbarian, for giving a new turn to a word so agreeable to the analogy and genius of the Greek tongue?
- A cruel, savage, brutal person; one without pity or humanity.
- (Can we date this quote by Philips and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Thou fell barbarian.
- (Can we date this quote by Philips and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- (derogatory) A foreigner, especially with barbaric qualities as in the above definitions.
Synonyms
- (foreigner): alien, outlander, peregrine; see also Thesaurus:foreigner
Translations
uncivilized person
|
derogatory term for someone from a developing country
|
warrior associated with Sword and Sorcery stories
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
|
Related terms
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms borrowed from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 4-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɛəɹiən
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English uncomparable adjectives
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with historical senses
- English derogatory terms
- Requests for quotations/M. Arnold
- Requests for date/Philips
- en:People