Brutishness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being coarse or savage is often reflected in one's behavior and attitudes, indicating a lack of refinement or gentility
2. A state characterized by cruel or violent tendencies along with an insensitivity to the feelings of others, often resulting in aggressive actions
3. An inclination towards inhumanity or lack of compassion manifests through actions and thoughts that are essentially primitive or animalistic

Etymology: "Brutishness" is a plain compound: "brutish" with the suffix "-ness" added. The adjective "brutish" was formed in English by adding "-ish", meaning "like" or "having the quality of", to "brute," the noun for an animal as opposed to a human. The adjective therefore means something like "beast-like," and "brutishness" names the quality of being beast-like. The suffix "-ness" has a long history in English. It descends from Old English "-nes" and was used from the start to turn adjectives into nouns of state or quality, so "kindness" and "sadness" follow the same pattern. Added to "brutish," it gives a noun for the condition of behaving like a brute, which is why the word's modern sense centres on cruelty and a lack of concern for others rather than on animals as such.

Synonyms: savagery, barbarity, cruelty, ferocity, inhumanity

Antonyms: humanity, kindness, compassion, gentleness, civilization