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.
2. countable noun
If you describe someone as a barbarian, you disapprove of them because they behave in a way that is cruel or uncivilized.
[disapproval]
Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian.
We need to fight this barbarian attitude to science.
Synonyms: savage, monster, beast, brute More Synonyms of barbarian
3. countable noun
If you refer to people as barbarians, you mean that they do not know how to behave properly and do not like or understand art and culture.
[disapproval]
More Synonyms of barbarian
barbarian in British English
(bɑːˈbɛərɪən)
noun
1.
a member of a primitive or uncivilized people
2.
a coarse, insensitive, or uncultured person
3.
a vicious person
adjective
4.
of an uncivilized culture
5.
insensitive, uncultured, or brutal
Derived forms
barbarianism (barˈbarianism)
noun
Word origin
C16: see barbarous
barbarian in American English
(bɑrˈbɛriən)
noun
1. Obsolete
an alien or foreigner
in the ancient world applied esp. to non-Greeks, non-Romans, or non-Christians
2.
a member of a people or group with a civilization regarded as primitive, savage, etc.
3.
a.
a person who lacks culture
b.
a coarse or unmannerly person; boor
4.
a savage, cruel person; brute
adjective
5.
of or like a barbarian
; esp.,
a.
uncivilized; crude
b.
cruel; barbarous
SYNONYMY NOTE: barbarian basically refers to a civilization regarded as primitive, usually without furtherconnotation [the Anglo-Saxons were a barbarian people]; barbaric suggests the crudeness and lack of restraint regarded as characteristic of primitivepeoples [barbaric splendor]; barbarous connotes the cruelty and brutality regarded as characteristic of primitive people[barbarous warfare]; savage implies a more primitive civilization than , barbarian and connotes even greater fierceness and cruelty [a savage inquisition]
OPPOSITE: civilized
Derived forms
barbarianism (barˈbarianˌism)
noun
Word origin
< L barbarus, barbarous
Examples of 'barbarian' in a sentence
barbarian
It faces an invader far more ferocious than barbarian hordes.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
One by one, the other barbarian tribes step up to join the bling fest.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I draw muscular barbarians on my physics notebook and then get mocked for it.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Out goes the barbarian; in comes the caring, sharing new man.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
1 (noun)
Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian.
Synonyms
savage
The kids in the orchestra are a right bunch of savages!
monster
You make me sound like an absolute monster!
beast
He is an absolute beast in terms of his will to win.
brute
an unpleasant brute
yahoo
a typical City merchant banking yahoo
swine
ogre
I have been painted as this ogre with no regard for others.
sadist
2 (noun)
Definition
a coarse or vicious person
The visitors looked upon us all as barbarians.
Synonyms
lout
a drunken lout
hooligan
riots involving football hooligans
illiterate
vandal
The phone box had been destroyed by vandals.
yahoo
bigot
philistine
The man's a total philistine when it comes to the arts.
ned (Scottish, slang)
hoon (Australian, New Zealand)
cougan (Australian, slang)
scozza (Australian, slang)
bogan (Australian, slang)
ruffian
gangs of ruffians who lurk about
ignoramus
I am an ignoramus regarding technical matters.
boor
He was a braggart, a cynic and a boor.
boot boy
lowbrow
vulgarian
(adjective)
Definition
uncivilized or brutal
rude and barbarian people
Synonyms
uncivilized
countries which did not wish to appear backward or uncivilized
wild
the wild tribes which still roam the northern plains with their horse herds
rough
He was rough and common.
savage
stunning images of a wild and savage land
crude
a crude sense of humour
primitive
studies of primitive societies
vulgar
He could be really vulgar, but he never swore in front of his parents.
illiterate
barbaric
a prehistoric and barbaric world
philistine
the country's philistine, consumerist mentality
uneducated
It looks amateurish to the uneducated eye.
unsophisticated
barbarous
He thought the poetry of Whitman barbarous.
boorish
the boorish behaviour of some players
uncouth
that oafish, uncouth person
uncultivated
lowbrow
uncultured
unmannered
Opposites
cultured
,
civil
,
sophisticated
,
refined
,
civilized
,
genteel
,
urbane
,
highbrow
,
well-mannered
Additional synonyms
in the sense of barbaric
Definition
primitive or brutal
a prehistoric and barbaric world
Synonyms
uncivilized,
wild,
savage,
primitive,
rude,
barbarian,
barbarous
in the sense of barbarous
Definition
uncivilized
He thought the poetry of Whitman barbarous.
Synonyms
uncivilized,
wild,
rough,
gross,
savage,
primitive,
rude,
coarse,
vulgar,
barbarian,
philistine,
uneducated,
brutish,
unsophisticated,
uncouth,
uncultivated,
unpolished,
uncultured,
unmannered
in the sense of beast
Definition
a brutal or uncivilized person
He is an absolute beast in terms of his will to win.