brutal

English Online Dictionary. What means brutal‎? What does brutal mean?

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin brutalis (“savage, stupid”), from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹuː.təl/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹu.təl/, [ˈbɹu.ɾəl]
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹʉː.təl/, [ˈbɹʉː.ɾəl]
• Rhymes: -uːtəl

Adjective

brutal (comparative more brutal, superlative most brutal)

2. Savagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
3. Crude or unfeeling in manner or speech.
4. Harsh; unrelenting.
5. Disagreeably precise or penetrating.
6. (music, figuratively) In extreme metal, to describe the speed of the music and the density of riffs.
7. Direct and without attempt to disguise unpleasantness.

   brutal honesty

Synonyms

• barbaric
• cold-blooded
• savage
• vicious

Antonyms

• gentle
• kind

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• “brutal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “brutal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “brutal”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• Brault

Bikol Central

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish brutal.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: bru‧tal
• IPA^(key): /bɾuˈtal/ [bɾuˈtal̪]

Adjective

brutál

1. brutal; wicked

   Synonym: mabangis

Related terms

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin brutālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [bɾuˈtal]

Adjective

brutal m or f (masculine and feminine plural brutals)

1. brutal

Derived terms

• brutalisme
• brutalitat
• brutalment

Related terms

• brut

Further reading

• “brutal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Danish

Etymology

From French brutal, from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /brutaːl/, [b̥ʁuˈtˢæːˀl]

Adjective

brutal

1. brutal
2. savage

Inflection

Derived terms

• brutalitet

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālis (“savage, stupid”), from brūtus (“dull, stupid”). See brut and -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʁy.tal/

Adjective

brutal (feminine brutale, masculine plural brutaux, feminine plural brutales)

1. brutal

Noun

brutal m (plural brutaux, feminine brutale)

1. person who acts brutally

Derived terms

• brutalement
• brutaliser
• brutalité

Further reading

• “brutal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• brulât, brûlât

German

Etymology

From Latin brutalis, from brutus (“dull, stupid”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʁuˈtaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

brutal (strong nominative masculine singular brutaler, comparative brutaler, superlative am brutalsten)

1. brutal

   Synonyms: barbarisch, kaltblütig

   Antonym: freundlich

Declension

Related terms

• Brutalität

Further reading

• “brutal” in Duden online
• “brutal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch brutaal, from Middle Dutch brutael (“savage”), from Middle French brutal (“savage”), from Medieval Latin brutalis (“savage, stupid”), from Latin brūtus (“dull, stupid”). Doublet of bruto and guru.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbrutal]
• Hyphenation: bru‧tal

Adjective

brutal

1. (colloquial) brutal
   1. violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel.

      Synonym: kejam

   2. harsh; unrelenting.

      Synonym: kasar

Alternative forms

• brutaal (pre-1947)

Further reading

• “brutal” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin brutus, via French brutal.

Adjective

brutal (neuter singular brutalt, definite singular and plural brutale)

1. brutal

Related terms

• brutalitet

References

• “brutal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin brutus, via French brutal.

Adjective

brutal (neuter singular brutalt, definite singular and plural brutale)

1. brutal

Related terms

• brutalitet

References

• “brutal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Occitan

Alternative forms

• brutau (Limousin)

Pronunciation

Adjective

brutal m (feminine singular brutala, masculine plural brutals, feminine plural brutalas) (Languedoc)

1. brutal

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• Diccionari General de la Lenga Occitana, L’Academia occitana – Consistòri del Gai Saber, 2008-2024, page 132.

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from French brutal, from Latin brūtālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbru.tal/
• Rhymes: -utal
• Syllabification: bru‧tal

Noun

brutal m pers

1. brute (brutal person)

Declension

Related terms

Further reading

• brutal in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• brutal in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin brūtālis.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: bru‧tal

Adjective

brutal m or f (plural brutais)

1. brutal, brutish
2. (colloquial) huge
3. (colloquial) fantastic, extraordinary

Derived terms

• brutalmente

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French brutal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bruˈtal/

Adjective

brutal m or n (feminine singular brutală, masculine plural brutali, feminine and neuter plural brutale)

1. brutal

Declension

Related terms

• brut
• brutalitate
• brutaliza
• brutalizare

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālis (“savage, stupid”), from brūtus (“dull, stupid”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɾuˈtal/ [bɾuˈt̪al]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: bru‧tal

Adjective

brutal m or f (masculine and feminine plural brutales)

1. brutal
2. (colloquial) cool; dope; amazing

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• “brutal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28
• “brutal” in Diccionario de americanismos, Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, 2010

Swedish

Etymology

From French brutal from Medieval Latin brutalis, from brūtus.

Pronunciation

Adjective

brutal (comparative brutalare, superlative brutalast)

1. brutal

Declension

Related terms

• brutalisera

Anagrams

• bultar

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish brutal.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /bɾuˈtal/ [bɾʊˈt̪al]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: bru‧tal

Adjective

brutál (Baybayin spelling ᜊ᜔ᜇᜓᜆᜎ᜔)

1. brutal; cruel

   Synonyms: napakalupit, marahas, malupit

Related terms