barbarism

noun

bar·​ba·​rism ˈbär-bə-ˌri-zəm How to pronounce barbarism (audio)
1
a
: a barbarian or barbarous social or intellectual condition : backwardness
b
: the practice or display of barbarian acts, attitudes, or ideas
2
: an idea, act, or expression that in form or use offends against contemporary standards of good taste or acceptability

Examples of barbarism in a Sentence

The barbarism of his dictatorship cannot be ignored. Such barbarisms cannot be tolerated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ace Ventura is a ball of slapstick but also of volcanic barbarism. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024 Atay was born in 1934, near the Black Sea port town of İnebolu—the city where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic, had donned a jaunty Panama hat to give a speech decrying the barbarism of the fez and other Ottoman fashions. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024 Lyle noticed that the article’s comments were skeptical that girls would descend into such barbarism. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, Haitian ethnicity itself is becoming synonymous with barbarism and criminality. Roxane Gay, The New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barbarism 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of barbarism was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near barbarism

Cite this Entry

“Barbarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarism. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

barbarism

noun
bar·​ba·​rism ˈbär-bə-ˌriz-əm How to pronounce barbarism (audio)
: the state, ideas, or behavior of a barbarian

More from Merriam-Webster on barbarism

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