brutal

/ˈbrü-tᵊl/

Middle English brutall "like an animal, bestial," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālis "brutish, bestial," from brūtum "brute beast" (derivative of Latin brūtus "heavy, inert, devoid of intelligence or feeling, brutish") + Latin -ālis

adjective

  1. suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion : befitting a brute: such as

  2. cruel, cold-blooded

  3. harsh, severe

a brutal attack

brutal brutish bestial feral mean characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct. brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity. brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.