Brutal

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹuː.təl/

Definitions

1. Savage and cruel in a way that causes severe pain or suffering without mercy or compassion
2. Harsh and savage in nature, often involving extreme cruelty or violence that causes pain or suffering to others
3. Ruthless and unyielding, often characterized by extreme severity or cruelty that inflicts significant harm or distress on individuals

Etymology: Latin "brutus" originally meant "dull" or "stupid," not "savage." It was the sense of heavy, insensible dullness, and the adjective "brutalis" in Medieval Latin carried that same sense of "savage, stupid." Over centuries the word's emphasis moved from mental dullness toward physical violence, so the modern sense of cruelty is the later development of a word that once described a lack of wit. The English adjective is built from "brute," which entered the language from the same Latin "brutus," plus the suffix "-al," meaning "relating to." That makes "brutal" a straightforward derivative: something of or like a brute. The suffix is common in English, appearing in words such as "natural" and "central," so the form itself reveals little beyond its grammatical role.

Synonyms: cruel, savage, harsh, fierce, violent

Antonyms: gentle, kind, humane, tender, merciful