Etymology : Latin barbarus
Pronunciation : bär-'ber-E-&n, -'bar-
Function : adjective
Date : 14th century
1. savage, primitive person. savage, cruel; primitive, uncivilized. barbarian\bar*ba"ri*an\ , n. [see:
barbarous.].
2. a foreigner. [historical] 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. xiv.
3. 2. a man in a rule, savage, or uncivilized state.
4. a person destitute of culture. arnold.
5. a cruel, savage, brutal man; one destitute of pity or humanity. "thou fell barbarian." ips.barbarian \bar*ba"ri*an\, a. of, or pertaining to, or resembling, barbarians; rude; uncivilized; barbarous; as, barbarian governments or nations.barbarian without civilizing influences; "barbarian invaders"; "barbaric practices"; "a savage people"; "fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient"-margaret meade; "wild tribes" [syn: barbaric, savage, uncivilized, uncivilised, wild] n.
6. a member of an uncivilized people [syn: savage].
7. a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement [syn: peasant, boor, churl, goth, tyke, tike]barbarian a greek word used in the new testament (rom. 1:14) to denote one of another nation. in col. 3:11, the word more definitely designates those nations of the roman empire that did not speak greek. in 1 cor. 14:11, it simply refers to one speaking a different language. the inhabitants of malta are so called (acts 28:1,2, 4). they were originally a carthaginian colony. this word nowhere in scripture bears the meaning it does in modern times.
8. A foreigner.
9. A man in a rude, savage, or uncivilized state.
10. A person destitute of culture.
11. A cruel, savage, brutal man; one destitute of pity or humanity.
12. Of, or pertaining to, or resembling, barbarians; rude; uncivilized; barbarous; as, barbarian governments or nations. without civilizing influences; "barbarian invaders"; "barbaric practices"; "a savage people"; "fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient"-Margaret Meade; "wild tribes".
13. 1. In former times, barbarians were people from other countries who were thought to be uncivilized and violent. The Roman Empire was overrun by Nordic barbarians.
14. disapproval If you describe someone as a barbarian, you disapprove of them because they behave in a way that is cruel or uncivilized. Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian We need to fight this barbarian attitude to science.