cruelty
Use Cruelty in a sentence
əl noun, plural cru·el·ties for 3.
1.
the state or quality of being cruel.
2.
cruel disposition or conduct.
3.
a cruel act.
4.
Law. conduct by a spouse that causes grievous bodily harm or mental suffering.
Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English cruelte < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin crūdēlitāt- (stem of crūdēlitās). See cruel, -ity
1175–1225; Middle English cruelte < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin crūdēlitāt- (stem of crūdēlitās). See cruel, -ity
Related forms
an·ti·cru·el·ty, adjective
self-cru·el·ty, noun, plural self·-cru·el·ties.
Synonyms
1. harshness, brutality, ruthlessness, barbarity, inhumanity, atrocity.
1. harshness, brutality, ruthlessness, barbarity, inhumanity, atrocity.
Antonyms
2, 3. kindness.
2, 3. kindness.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To cruelty
00:10
Cruelty
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
cruelty (ˈkruːəltɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -ties | |
| 1. | deliberate infliction of pain or suffering |
| 2. | the quality or characteristic of being cruel |
| 3. | a cruel action |
| 4. | law conduct that causes danger to life or limb or a threat to bodily or mental health, on proof of which a decree of divorce may be granted |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
cruelty
early 13c., from O.Fr. crualté, from V.L. *crudalitatem, from L. crudelem (see cruel).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Think of the amount of brutality, the cruelty and the lies allowed to spread over the civilized world.
Animals will be in pain when humans inflict cruelty on them.
Cruelty and bullying are the reverse side of this disciplined obedience.
It is a political question, one where you can seek to sway society's opinion towards less cruelty, to make it wrong.
Nearby Words
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