Brutal
/ˈbruːtəl/noun
Harsh, savage, or cruel; also extremely severe or intense.
Did you know?Brutal ultimately comes from Latin brutus, meaning “heavy, dull, stupid, or brute-like,” which is the same ancient family behind words like brute and brute-force.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
brūtus
“heavy, dull, stupid; brute-like”
Late Latin
Latin
brūtālis
“of or belonging to a beast; coarse, savage”
Old French
Old French
brutal
“cruel, savage, rough”
16th Century
English
brutal
“cruel, inhuman, beastly”
Modern English
English
brutal
“harsh, savage, or extremely severe”
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