Meanings
plural barbarisms
- countableuncountableA barbaric act.
These barbarisms can not be allowed to continue; they must be crushed or civilization will collapse.
- countableuncountableThe condition of existing barbarically.
War is at best barbarism... Its glory is all moonshine.
1879, William Tecumseh Sherman, Address to the Michigan Military Academy1 more example
Like dancing, it is a remnant of ancient barbarism—fit for the days of the Chaldeans or the Babylonians, when people were only amused through their eyes—the sole entertainment of which savage nations are susceptible.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 42–43Synonyms: barbarianism
- countableuncountableA word hybridizing Ancient Greek and Latin or other heterogeneous roots.
- countableuncountableAn error in language use within a single word, such as a mispronunciation.
In the jargon of the ancient grammarian, penacilin would be a barbarism.
2002, Hyman, Bad Grammar in Context, New England Classical Journal, 29, p. 94-101
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe condition of existing barbarically.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Arabic بربرية
- بربريةbarbaric act
Bulgarian ва́рварство, варвари́зъм
- ва́рварство (várvarstvo)barbaric act
- варвари́зъм (varvarízăm)error in language use
Chinese Mandarin 殘暴行為 /残暴行为
- 殘暴行為 /残暴行为 (cánbào xíngwéi)barbaric act
Czech barbarství, brutalita
- barbarstvíbarbaric act
- brutalitabarbaric act
- barbarstvícondition of existing barbarically
- barbarismuserror in language use
Estonian barbarism
- barbarismerror in language use
Finnish barbaarius, raakalaisuus
- barbaariusbarbaric act
- raakalaisuusbarbaric act
- barbarismicondition of existing barbarically
French barbarisme, barbarisme
- barbarismebarbaric act
- barbarismeerror in language use
German Barbarei, Barbarei
- Barbareibarbaric act
- Barbareicondition of existing barbarically
- Barbarismuserror in language use
Greek βαρβαρισμός
- βαρβαρισμός (varvarismós)error in language use
Hindi बर्बरता, असभ्यता
- बर्बरता (barbartā)barbaric act
- असभ्यता (asabhyatā)barbaric act
Italian barbarismo
- barbarismobarbaric act
Japanese 野蛮な行為
- 野蛮な行為 (yaban na kōi)barbaric act
Latin immānitās
- immānitāscondition of existing barbarically
Latvian barbarisms
- barbarismserror in language use
Lithuanian barbarizmas, barbarizmas
- barbarizmasbarbaric act
- barbarizmaserror in language use
Malay barbarisme
- barbarismebarbaric act
Norwegian Bokmål barbari
- barbaribarbaric act
Polish barbarzyństwo, barbarzyństwo
- barbarzyństwobarbaric act
- barbarzyństwocondition of existing barbarically
- barbaryzmerror in language use
Portuguese barbarismo
- barbarismobarbaric act
Romanian barbarism, barbarism
- barbarismbarbaric act
- barbarismerror in language use
Russian ва́рварство, ва́рварство
- ва́рварство (várvarstvo)barbaric act
- ва́рварство (várvarstvo)condition of existing barbarically
- варвари́зм (varvarízm)error in language use
Scottish Gaelic brùidealachd
- brùidealachdcondition of existing barbarically
Spanish barbarismo, barbarismo
- barbarismobarbaric act
- barbarismoerror in language use
Swedish barbarism
- barbarismerror in language use
Turkish barbarlık
- barbarlıkcondition of existing barbarically
Ukrainian ва́рварство, варвари́зм
- ва́рварство (várvarstvo)barbaric act
- варвари́зм (varvarýzm)error in language use
Cite this entry
barbarism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarism
“barbarism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barbarism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarism.
Source: barbarism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.