Antonyms for barbarian


Grammar : Adj, noun
Spell : bahr-bair-ee-uhn
Phonetic Transcription : bɑrˈbɛər i ən


Definition of barbarian

Origin :
  • mid-14c., from Medieval Latin barbarinus (source of Old French barbarin "Berber, pagan, Saracen, barbarian"), from Latin barbaria "foreign country," from Greek barbaros "foreign, strange, ignorant," from PIE root *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (cf. Sanskrit barbara- "stammering," also "non-Aryan," Latin balbus "stammering," Czech blblati "to stammer").
  • Greek barbaroi (n.) meant "all that are not Greek," but especially the Medes and Persians. Originally not entirely pejorative, its sense darkened after the Persian wars. The Romans (technically themselves barbaroi) took up the word and applied it to tribes or nations which had no Greek or Roman accomplishments. The noun is from late 14c., "person speaking a language different from one's own," also (c.1400) "native of the Barbary coast;" meaning "rude, wild person" is from 1610s.
  • adj crude, savage
  • noun crude, savage person
Example sentences :
  • Almost every Barbarian at the table had made his own fortune.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • The intelligence and facilities of Government are but one step above the barbarian.
  • Extract from : « The Railroad Question » by William Larrabee
  • I am a Prince of Naples, and I'll not bend the knee to a barbarian.
  • Extract from : « The Historical Nights' Entertainment » by Rafael Sabatini
  • How could you be such a barbarian as to see the head of a man cut off?
  • Extract from : « The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; » by Various
  • It's a heap onadvisable when addressin' us to overwork that word "barbarian."
  • Extract from : « Faro Nell and Her Friends » by Alfred Henry Lewis
  • Indeed (he added), the answer of the barbarian to the king seems aposite.
  • Extract from : « The Economist » by Xenophon
  • On the left was Ariaeus, Cyrus's second in command, and the rest of the barbarian host.
  • Extract from : « Anabasis » by Xenophon
  • And if you do that, the old days will return of barbarian invasions.
  • Extract from : « The Destroyer » by Burton Egbert Stevenson
  • This is as true of the barbarian as of the Christian, and no more so.
  • Extract from : « The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV » by Various
  • And this barbarian, with his "improvement" schemes, forsooth!
  • Extract from : « The Skin Game (Fourth Series Plays) » by John Galsworthy

Synonyms for barbarian

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019