barbarity

B3A1R1B3A1R1I1T1Y4
/bɑː(ɹ)ˈbæɹɪti/

noun

The state of being barbarous; brutality

Similar
atrocityatrociousnessbarbarousnessheinousnessbrutalitybarbarismsavagery
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounbarbarity (countable and uncountable, plural barbarities)

plural barbarities

  1. uncountableThe state of being barbarous; brutality
  2. countableA barbaric act

    As regards barbarities committed by the Japanese army since our war of resistance, the fall of Nanking in December 1937 is a case in point. Over 200,000 civilians were massacred within one week.

    1942 [1942 February 21], Chiang Kai-shek, “One half of the world's people”, in All We Are and All We Have, New York: Chinese News Service, →OCLC, page 11
  3. uncountablecrudity
  4. countableA crude act

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

Similar
atrocityatrociousnessbarbarousnessheinousness
Broader
inhumanenessinhumanity

nouna brutal barbarous savage act

Similar
brutalitybarbarismsavagery
Broader
atrocityinhumanity
Also see
atrociousnessatrocitybarbarismbarbarousnessbrutalityheinousnesssavagery

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Ancient Greek βαρβαρότης
  • βαρβαρότης (barbarótēs)state of being barbarous
Czech barbarství, krutost
  • barbarstvístate of being barbarous
  • krutoststate of being barbarous
  • nelidskoststate of being barbarous
Dutch barbarij, barbaarsheid
  • barbarijstate of being barbarous
  • barbaarsheidstate of being barbarous
Finnish raakuus, julmuus
  • raakuusstate of being barbarous
  • julmuusstate of being barbarous
  • barbaarisuusstate of being barbarous
  • barbariastate of being barbarous
French barbarie
  • barbariestate of being barbarous
German Barbarei
  • Barbareistate of being barbarous
Greek βαρβαρότητα
  • βαρβαρότητα (varvarótita)state of being barbarous
Hindi बर्बरता, क्रूरता
  • बर्बरता (barbartā)state of being barbarous
  • क्रूरता (krūrtā)state of being barbarous
Irish ainchríostúlacht, barbarthacht
  • ainchríostúlachtstate of being barbarous
  • barbarthachtstate of being barbarous
  • danarthachtstate of being barbarous
Persian وحشیگری
  • وحشیگریstate of being barbarous
Polish barbarzyństwo
  • barbarzyństwostate of being barbarous
Portuguese barbaridade, barbárie
  • barbaridadestate of being barbarous
  • barbáriestate of being barbarous
Russian ва́рварство
  • ва́рварство (várvarstvo)state of being barbarous
Cite this entry
APA

barbarity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarity

MLA

“barbarity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarity. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barbarity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barbarity.

Source: barbarity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.