barbarian

barbarian
barbarian (adj.) mid-14c., from M.L. barbarinus (Cf. O.Fr. barbarin "Berber, pagan, Saracen, barbarian"), from L. barbaria "foreign country," from Gk. barbaros "foreign, strange, ignorant," from PIE root *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (Cf. Skt. barbara- "stammering," also "non-Aryan"). Greek barbaroi (n.) meant "all that are not Greek," but especially the Medes and Persians. Originally not entirely pejorative, its sense darkened after the Persian wars. The Romans (technically themselves barbaroi) took up the word and applied it to tribes or nations which had no Greek or Roman accomplishments. The noun is from late 14c., "person speaking a language different from one's own," also (c.1400) "native of the Barbary coast;" meaning "rude, wild person" is from 1610s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Barbarian — is a pejorative term for an uncivilized person, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos perceived as having an inferior level of civilization, or in an individual reference to a brutal, cruel, warlike, insensitive person… …   Wikipedia

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  • Barbarian — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Barbarian puede referirse a: Barbarian, es un videojuego desarrollado por Psygnosis en 1987 Barbarian, (Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior) es un videojuego desarrollado por Palace Software en 1987 Barbarian, es un… …   Wikipedia Español

  • barbarian — adj Barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, savage are comparable when applying to people or characteristics of people that are not fully civilized. Barbarian frequently applies to a state about midway between full civilization and tribal savagery {some… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • barbarian — barbarian, barbaric, barbarous 1. These words had their origins in people s ideas about foreign languages. The Greek word barbaros, ‘barbarian’, which is the ultimate source of all these words, meant someone who spoke words sounding like ba ba.… …   Modern English usage

  • Barbarian — steht für: Zwei Computerspiele des Unternehmens Palace Software: Barbarian (Computerspiel) Zwei Computerspiele des Unternehmens Psygnosis: Barbarian (Psygnosis) Ein US amerikanisch rumänischer Barbarenfilm aus dem Jahr 2003: Barbarian (Film) Ein… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • barbarian — [bär ber′ē ən] n. [< L barbarus,BARBAROUS] 1. Obs. an alien or foreigner: in the ancient world applied esp. to non Greeks, non Romans, or non Christians 2. a member of a people or group with a civilization regarded as primitive, savage, etc. 3 …   English World dictionary

  • Barbarian — Bar*ba ri*an, n. [See {Barbarous}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A foreigner. [Historical] [1913 Webster] 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Barbarian — Bar*ba ri*an, a. Of, or pertaining to, or resembling, barbarians; rude; uncivilized; barbarous; as, barbarian governments or nations. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barbarian — [adj] crude, savage barbaric, barbarous, boorish, brutal, coarse, cruel, inhuman, lowbrow, merciless, philistine, primitive, rough, rude, uncivil, uncivilized, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unsophisticated, untamed, vicious, vulgar, wild;… …   New thesaurus

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