savage

/ˈsa-vij/

Middle English, from Anglo-French salvage, savage, from Late Latin salvaticus, alteration of Latin silvaticus of the woods, wild, from silva wood, forest

adjective

  1. not domesticated or under human control : untamed

  2. lacking the restraints normal to civilized human beings : fierce, ferocious

  3. wild, uncultivated

savage beasts

a savage criminal

fierce ferocious barbarous savage cruel mean showing fury or malignity in looks or actions. fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack. ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

noun

  1. a person belonging to a primitive society

  2. a brutal person

  3. a rude or unmannerly person

verb

  1. to attack or treat brutally