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savage

 - 3 dictionary results

sav⋅age

  [sav-ij] adjective, noun, verb, -aged, -ag⋅ing.
Use savage in a Sentence
–adjective
1. fierce, ferocious, or cruel; untamed: savage beasts.
2. uncivilized; barbarous: savage tribes.
3. enraged or furiously angry, as a person.
4. unpolished; rude: savage manners.
5. wild or rugged, as country or scenery: savage wilderness.
6. Archaic. uncultivated; growing wild.
–noun
7. an uncivilized human being.
8. a fierce, brutal, or cruel person.
9. a rude, boorish person.
10. a member of a preliterate society.
–verb (used with object)
11. to assault and maul by biting, rending, goring, etc.; tear at or mutilate: numerous sheep savaged by dogs.
12. to attack or criticize thoroughly or remorselessly; excoriate: a play savaged by the critics.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME savage, sauvage (adj.) < MF sauvage, salvage < ML salvāticus, for L silvāticus, equiv. to silv(a) woods + -āticus adj. suffix

Related forms:
sav⋅age⋅ly, adverb
sav⋅age⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. wild, feral, fell; bloodthirsty. See cruel. 2. wild. 3. infuriated. 5. rough, uncultivated. 9. churl, oaf.

Antonyms:
1. mild. 2, 4. cultured. 5. cultivated.

Sav⋅age

  [sav-ij]
–noun
1. Michael Joseph, 1872–1940, New Zealand statesman and labor leader: prime minister 1935–40.
2. Richard, 1697?–1743, English poet.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To savage
sav·age   (sāv'ĭj)   
adj.  

  1. Not domesticated or cultivated; wild: savage beasts of the jungle.

  2. Not civilized; barbaric: a people living in a savage state.

  3. Ferocious; fierce: in a savage temper.

  4. Vicious or merciless; brutal: a savage attack on a political rival. See Synonyms at cruel.

  5. Lacking polish or manners; rude.

n.  

  1. A person regarded as primitive or uncivilized.

  2. A person regarded as brutal, fierce, or vicious.

tr.v.   sav·aged, sav·ag·ing, sav·ag·es

  1. To assault ferociously.

  2. To attack without restraint or pity: The critics savaged the new play.


[Middle English sauvage, from Old French, from Late Latin salvāticus, from Latin silvāticus, of the woods, wild, from silva, forest.]
sav'age·ly adv., sav'age·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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