savage

 
Pronunciation: /ˈsavɪdʒ/

adjective

  • 1(of an animal or force of nature) fierce, violent, and uncontrolled: packs of savage dogs roamed the streets
  • cruel and vicious; aggressively hostile: a savage attack on the government
  • 2(of something bad or negative) very great; severe: the decision was a savage blow for the town
  • 3(chiefly in historical or literary contexts) primitive; uncivilized.
  • (of a place) wild-looking and inhospitable; uncultivated.

noun

  • 1(chiefly in historical or literary contexts) a member of a people regarded as primitive and uncivilized.
  • 2a brutal or vicious person: the mother of one of the victims has described his assailants as savages
  • 3 Heraldry a representation of a bearded and semi-naked man with a wreath of leaves.

verb

[with object]
  • (especially of a dog or wild animal) attack ferociously and maul: police are rounding up dogs after a girl was savaged
  • subject to a vicious verbal attack; criticize brutally: he savaged the government for wasting billions in their failed bid to prop up the pound

Derivatives

savagely

adverb

savageness

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French sauvage 'wild', from Latin silvaticus 'of the woods', from silva 'a wood'