fierce, ferocious, or cruel; untamed: savage beasts.
Offensive. (in historical use) relating to or being a preliterate people or society regarded as uncivilized or primitive: savage tribes.
enraged or furiously angry, as a person.
unpolished; rude: savage manners.
wild or rugged, as country or scenery: savage wilderness.
Archaic. uncultivated; growing wild.
noun
a fierce, brutal, or cruel person.
a rude, boorish person.
Offensive. (in historical use) a member of a preliterate people or society regarded as uncivilized or primitive.
verb (used with object),sav·aged,sav·ag·ing.
to assault and maul by biting, rending, goring, etc.; tear at or mutilate: numerous sheep savaged by dogs.
to attack or criticize thoroughly or remorselessly; excoriate: a play savaged by the critics.
to greatly weaken, damage, or harm: The age of automation and globalization, with companies searching for lower wages overseas, has savaged organized labor.
Origin of savage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English adjective savage, saveage, sauvage, salvage, from Old French sauvage, salvage, savage, Anglo-French sawage, from Medieval Latin salvāticus, for Latin silvāticus, equivalent to silv(a) “woods” + -āticus adjective suffix; noun derivative of the adjective
SYNONYMS FOR savage
1 wild, feral, fell; bloodthirsty.
2 wild.
3 infuriated.
5 rough, uncultivated.
8 churl, oaf.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR savage ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR savage
1 mild.
4 cultured.
5 cultivated.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR savage ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for savage
1. See cruel.
historical usage of savage
English savage is also spelled saveage, sauvage, salvage in Middle English. Middle English also has the spellings Sawage and Suvage for surnames. The Middle English forms come from Old French sauvage, salvage, savage and Anglo-French sawage. The Old French and Anglo-French forms come from Medieval Latin salvāticus, a modification of Latin silvāticus “pertaining to forests or scrubland,” a derivative of the noun silva “woodlands, forest.” The (now offensive) noun sense “a member of a preliterate people regarded as uncivilized” dates from the second half of the 16th century. The senses “cruel, brutal person” and “rude, uncouth person” both date from the early 17th century.
On this level, Mankiewicz’s film is a masterwork of subversion, a precursor to films that savaged the American love affair with normalcy—“The Graduate,” “Blue Velvet,” “American Beauty,” and “Fight Club” among them.
‘All About Eve’ at 70|Tom Joudrey|September 25, 2020|Washington Blade
Stephanopoulos is a TV newsman, and Savage is a sex columnist.
Politics Report: A Poll and a Court Ruling in Key Council Race|Scott Lewis|August 22, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Shades of Rousseau’s exaltation of the noble savage, within us and without.
Just Because It’s Natural Doesn’t Mean It’s Good - Issue 89: The Dark Side|David P. Barash|August 19, 2020|Nautilus
Bolstered by the momentum of Savage, Masters continued to accumulate up-and-coming conservative talent.
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After two years, the dispute ended with an arbitration ruling in favor of Savage.
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a 2009 profile of the right-wing firebrand, The New Yorker called Savage “a heretic among heretics.”
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Savage noted that “HIV/AIDS forced us to start talking about what people are doing in bed.”
The ‘Back Door’ Is Having Its Pop Culture Moment|Gabriella Paiella|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The beheading of journalist Steven Sotloff is the latest, savage step on that climb.
Watching ISIS Come to Power Again|Elliot Ackerman|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One of them was half naked and savage, with the light of madness in his eyes.
The Fifth-Dimension Tube|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
We seek for the origin of the savage factor of myth in one aspect of the intellectual condition of savages.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1|Andrew Lang
In this manner did he indulge in the wild and uncouth glee of a savage as ferocious as he was powerful.
The Dead Boxer|William Carleton
They were willing to accept a religion which did 219 not interfere with savage customs, which had become a part of their lives.
How Marcus Whitman Saved Oregon|Oliver W. Nixon
The frontier was closely guarded against the savage tribes who seemed to be occupying the waste lands of northern Europe.
The Story of Mankind|Hendrik Van Loon
British Dictionary definitions for savage (1 of 2)
savage
/ (ˈsævɪdʒ) /
adjective
wild; untamedsavage beasts of the jungle
ferocious in temper; viciousa savage dog
uncivilized; crudesavage behaviour
(of peoples) nonliterate or primitivea savage tribe
(of terrain) rugged and uncultivated
obsoletefar from human habitation
noun
a member of a nonliterate society, esp one regarded as primitive
a crude or uncivilized person
a fierce or vicious person or animal
verb(tr)
to criticize violently
to attack ferociously and woundthe dog savaged the child
Derived forms of savage
savagedom, nounsavagely, adverbsavageness, noun
Word Origin for savage
C13: from Old French sauvage, from Latin silvāticus belonging to a wood, from silva a wood
British Dictionary definitions for savage (2 of 2)
Savage
/ (ˈsævɪdʒ) /
noun
Michael Joseph. 1872-1940, New Zealand statesman; prime minister of New Zealand (1935-40)