barbarian

1 of 2

noun

bar·​bar·​i·​an bär-ˈber-ē-ən How to pronounce barbarian (audio)
plural barbarians
1
: a person from an alien land, culture, or group believed to be inferior, uncivilized, or violent
used chiefly in historical references
In the Roman Empire, cohorts … patrolled the provinces, repelling the barbarians and maintaining the emperor's sovereignty.Paul C. Schuytema
Much of Italy had slipped from the grasp of the Byzantines, victim to the vigorous Germanic barbarians… who had begun their migration southward from the forested fastnesses of eastern and central Europe.Stephen O'Shea
2
: a barbarous person : a rude, crude, uneducated, or uncivilized person
No, I'm not some sort of barbarian who would open a bottle of wine to enjoy some before offering it as a gift. That would be uncouth.Irv Erdos

barbarian

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to a land, culture, or people alien and usually believed to be inferior to another land, culture, or people
2
: lacking refinement, learning, or artistic or literary culture
barbarianism noun

Examples of barbarian in a Sentence

Adjective people who were regarded as barbarian by the ancient Romans
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The implication that Hamas are barbarians, animals, or inhumane killers could be used to argue that Israel is somehow released from its obligations under the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) or International Humanitarian Law (IHL) regarding its military actions in Gaza. TIME, 26 Jan. 2024 Chris Pine's winning take on a bard is the driving force here, but Michelle Rodriguez's barbarian and (an underutilized) Regé-Jean Page's paladin steal plenty of scenes by really hewing true to their characters' alignment chart. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 25 Dec. 2023 Execution is a universal punishment for treason; only barbarians violate civilized norms in meting it out. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 Enlarge / Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez star as Elgin (a bard) and Holga (a barbarian) in D&D: Honor Among Thieves. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 25 Dec. 2023 The incessant hammering was freaking out his dog, who responded as if barbarians were laying siege to their home. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023 The blond barbarian, based on a popular set of Mattel toys, may finally win the day. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 13 Nov. 2023 Homer contrasts the barbarians with the civilized Greeks. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2023 This film is filled with twists, and the true barbarian isn’t so obvious. Claudia Guthrie, ELLE, 29 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Novae survived a 250 CE attack by the Goths but was destroyed by barbarian attacks in the second half of that century. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2023 The fortress at Novae was founded around the middle of the 1st century CE by the VIII Augustus Legion to fortify the Roman Empire's border along the Danube against barbarian invaders—most notably crushing the Thracian uprising. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Sep. 2023 On the morning of October 7, a barbarian horde of Hamas terrorists cascaded into Israel from the Gaza Strip determined to commit as many atrocities against Israelis as possible. David Harsanyi, National Review, 12 Oct. 2023 Weird Tales is more closely associated with the horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft and the sword-and-sorcery fantasies of Robert E. Howard, who is most remembered for his barbarian character Conan. John J. Miller, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023 In fact, the line is found in a speech that Tacitus quotes (or invents), delivered by a barbarian chieftain, Calgacus, on the eve of a battle against Roman forces. James Romm, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2023 In a mythical version of ancient Greece populated by barbarian hordes, packs of rabid wolves and vengeful gods, Krapopolis is a beacon of civilization. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Sep. 2023 Egypt itself barely managed to hold onto its sense of self in the face of barbarian attacks. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2013 The movie stacks its deck with a lot of supporting characters, from Namaari (Gemma Chan), Raya’s frenemy with the awesome Tegan-and-Sara haircut, to a one-eyed barbarian lug (Benedict Wong) and not one but two precocious kid protagonists. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barbarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin barbarus — more at barbarous

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barbarian was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near barbarian

Cite this Entry

“Barbarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarian. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

barbarian

noun
bar·​bar·​i·​an bär-ˈber-ē-ən How to pronounce barbarian (audio)
bär-ˈbar-
: an uncivilized person

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