Brute
/bruːt/noun
A cruel, rough, or insensitive person; also, an animal-like creature.
Did you know?English got brute through French from Latin brutus, which originally meant ‘heavy, dull, stupid’—a perfect example of how language can turn physical weight into moral judgment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷereu-
“to be heavy, to devour (proposed root behind Latin brutus is uncertain and not securely established)”
Latin
Latin
brutus
“heavy; dull; stupid; senseless”
Old French
Old French
brut
“savage; wild; rough”
Middle English
English
brute
“a beast; a savage person”
Modern English
English
brute
“a cruel, rough, or insensitive person; an animal-like creature”