barbarian
/bɑːˈbeɹiən/bahr-BEH-ree-uhn
/bɑɹˈbɛɹiən/bahr-BEH-ree-uhn
Meaninga babbler; an outlander
Common meaning: an uncivilised person
Other meanings: first a Greek name for any foreigner, long used to belittle other peoples
- barbaroutlandish, babbling in a non-Greek tongueLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 146 · scan
- ianending meaning belonging to, or one who belongs to
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek βάρβαρος ‘outlandish, babbling in a non-Greek tongue’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry βάρβαρος, p. 146 · dictionary scan
Roots
- βάρβαρος Greek “outlandish, babbling in a non-Greek tongue”
Related words
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