bar·bar·i·an
bär-ˈber-ē-ən
plural barbarians
1
: a person from an alien land, culture, or group believed to be inferior, uncivilized, or violent
—used chiefly in historical references
In the Roman Empire, cohorts … patrolled the provinces, repelling the barbarians and maintaining the emperor's sovereignty.—Paul C. Schuytema
Much of Italy had slipped from the grasp of the Byzantines, victim to the vigorous Germanic barbarians… who had begun their migration southward from the forested fastnesses of eastern and central Europe.—Stephen O'Shea
2
: a barbarous person : a rude, crude, uneducated, or uncivilized person
No, I'm not some sort of barbarian who would open a bottle of wine to enjoy some before offering it as a gift. That would be uncouth.—Irv Erdos
1
: of or relating to a land, culture, or people alien and usually believed to be inferior to another land, culture, or people
2
: lacking refinement, learning, or artistic or literary culture
bar·bar·i·an·ism
(ˈ)bär-¦ber-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm
plural -s
Cite this Entry
“Barbarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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