Savage
'sævɪdʒ
Definitions
3 meaningsUntamed; wild; uncivilized; ferocious or cruel.
'sævɪdʒ
Wild, untamed, or fierce; not domesticated or civilized.
The lioness let out a savage roar.
💡 Simply: Imagine a lion in the jungle - it's wild and does what it needs to survive. That's kind of savage, like something not tamed.
👶 For kids: Like an animal that lives in the wild and isn't friendly.
More Examples
The storm unleashed a savage fury upon the coastline.
The documentary explored the savage conditions of the remote island.
How It's Used
"The savage beauty of the untouched wilderness captivated the explorers."
"Early European accounts often described indigenous populations as savage."
A person considered to be uncivilized, primitive, or brutal; a brutal or uncivilized person.
'sævɪdʒ
A person considered to be uncivilized or primitive.
The explorer encountered several tribes of so-called savages.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone who doesn't follow the rules and does things in a rough way, like a person who lives outside of cities and is not civilized.
👶 For kids: Someone who is mean and not nice, like an animal that wants to fight.
More Examples
The novel depicted the conflict between civilization and the savage within.
In the early days of exploration, indigenous people were often labeled as savages.
How It's Used
"The colonial narratives often depicted the native populations as savages."
"In the novel, the protagonist must confront the savage within himself."
To attack or criticize fiercely or brutally; to treat violently or cruelly.
'sævɪdʒ
To attack or treat someone or something cruelly.
The tabloids savagely criticized the actress's performance.
💡 Simply: When you savage someone, you treat them very roughly or unfairly, like when a bully hurts another person's feelings.
👶 For kids: To be mean or hurt someone or something.
More Examples
The bear savagely attacked the camper's tent.
He was savagely beaten in the altercation.
How It's Used
"The criticism savagely attacked the author's work."
"Throughout history, powerful nations have savagely conquered weaker peoples."
Synonyms
Brutal
Ferocious
Fierce
Ruthless
Barbarian
Brute
Primitive
Assault
Attack
Antonyms
Civilized
Domesticated
Gentle
Kind
Mild
Gentleman
Compliment
Defend
Praise
Protect
Idioms & expressions
savage garden
A euphemism for a person's genitalia.
"She was embarrassed to undress in front of him because she felt that her 'savage garden' was unkempt."
Savage
An adjective used to describe someone or something that is ruthless, awesome, impressive, or audacious, often in a positive way.
"That was a savage comeback!"
From Old French *sauvage* (wild, untamed), from Late Latin *salvaticus* (pertaining to the woods), from Latin *silva* (wood, forest).
Historically, the word 'savage' was often used in colonial contexts to portray indigenous populations as uncivilized or inferior, often justifying colonization.
Memory tip
Think of a SAVAGE beast roaming the wild, untamed by human influence.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: salvaticus