Sauvage
/soʊˈvɑːʒ/noun
Wild, uncivilized, or untamed; also used in English for things associated with a raw or natural style.
Did you know?Sauvage ultimately comes from Latin silva, “forest,” the same root behind Sylvia and sylvan—linking the word to a world imagined beyond civilization’s boundaries.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
silva
“Forest or woodland”
Late Latin
Latin
silvāticus
“Of the woods; woodland-dwelling or wild”
9th–12th Century
Old French
salvage
“Wild, untamed, or living outside civilized society”
12th–14th Century
French
sauvage
“Wild, savage, uncultivated, or natural”
15th Century
English
sauvage
“A borrowing meaning wild or savage, often in literary or descriptive contexts”
Modern English
English
sauvage
“Wild or untamed; also retained as a French loanword in names, branding, and artistic descriptions”
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