savagery

S1A1V4A1G2E1R1Y4
/ˈsæv.ɪd͡ʒ.ɹɪ/

noun

Savage or brutal behaviour; barbarity.

Similar
savagenessferociousnessbrutalityviciousnessbarbaritybarbarism
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounsavagery (countable and uncountable, plural savageries)

plural savageries

  1. uncountableSavage or brutal behaviour; barbarity.

    “For some reason the women have not reverted to savagery so rapidly as the men.”

    1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 172
  2. countableA violent act of cruelty.
  3. countableuncountableSavages collectively; the world of savages.

    They spring out of an element of diffused homosexuality which is at least as marked in civilization as it is in savagery.

    1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 (of 6)
  4. uncountableWild growth of plants.

    […] they […] made, amongst other features, lead ponds. With their departure these lands once more reverted to savagery; gardening, along with virtually all aspects of culture, disappeared and with it the man-made water gardens.

    1990, Brian Leverett, Water Gardens: Step-By-Step to Success, page 9

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe property of being untamed and ferocious

Similar
savageness
Broader
ferocityfiercenessfuriousness

nounthe trait of extreme cruelty

Similar
ferociousnessbrutalityviciousness
Broader
crueltycruelnessharshness

nouna brutal barbarous savage act

Similar
brutalitybarbaritybarbarism
Broader
atrocityinhumanity
Also see
barbarianismbarbarismbarbaritybloodlustbrutalitycriminalityferociousnessmischiefsavagenessviciousnessvillainy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From savage + -ry.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ὠμότης
  • ὠμότης (ōmótēs)being savage — see also savageness
Bulgarian дивачество, свирепост
  • дивачество (divačestvo)being savage — see also savageness
  • свирепост (svirepost)act of cruelty
  • жестокост (žestokost)act of cruelty
Esperanto sovaĝeco
  • sovaĝecobeing savage — see also savageness
Finnish raakuus, raakuus
  • raakuusbeing savage — see also savageness
  • raakuusact of cruelty
French sauvagerie
  • sauvageriebeing savage — see also savageness
German Wildheit
  • Wildheitbeing savage — see also savageness
Greek αγριότητα, αγριότητα
  • αγριότητα (agriótita)being savage — see also savageness
  • αγριότητα (agriótita)act of cruelty
Hindi बर्बरता, क्रूरता
  • बर्बरता (barbartā)being savage — see also savageness
  • क्रूरता (krūrtā)being savage — see also savageness
Irish fiántas
  • fiántasbeing savage — see also savageness
Latin saevitia
  • saevitiabeing savage — see also savageness
Māori taratutū
  • taratutūbeing savage — see also savageness
Norwegian brutalitet, villskap
  • brutalitetbeing savage — see also savageness
  • villskapbeing savage — see also savageness
  • grusomhetact of cruelty
Polish dzikość
  • dzikośćbeing savage — see also savageness
Portuguese selvageria, selvageria
  • selvageriabeing savage — see also savageness
  • selvageriaact of cruelty
Russian ди́кость, свире́пость
  • ди́кость (díkostʹ)being savage — see also savageness
  • свире́пость (svirépostʹ)act of cruelty
  • зве́рство (zvérstvo)act of cruelty
  • жесто́кость (žestókostʹ)act of cruelty
Spanish selvatiquez, salvajada
  • selvatiquezbeing savage — see also savageness
  • salvajadaact of cruelty
  • salvajeríaact of cruelty
  • salvajismoact of cruelty
Swedish barbari, grymhet
  • barbaribeing savage — see also savageness
  • grymhetact of cruelty
Cite this entry
APA

savagery. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/savagery

MLA

“savagery.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/savagery. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “savagery,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/savagery.

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