barbarian
gb/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/ us/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/
B2
English
~ 9600
barbár
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
1
barbár
B2
Usage pattern:
to call [someone] a barbarian
He eats with his hands like a total barbarian.
Kézzel eszik, mint egy igazi barbár.
Only a barbarian would carve his name into a 2,000‑year‑old statue.
Csak egy barbár vésné bele a nevét egy kétezer éves szoborba.
She called him a barbarian for laughing during the funeral.
Whoever designed this building must have been a barbarian with no taste at all.
Learner examples
Please do not be a barbarian at the dinner table.
Kérlek, ne viselkedj úgy az asztalnál, mint egy barbár.
He is a barbarian when he gets angry.
Amikor dühös lesz, olyan, mint egy barbár.
They think football fans are barbarians, but most are friendly.
She says her roommates are barbarians because they never clean.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "barbarian" with the adjective "barbaric". Use "barbarian" mainly for people ("He is a barbarian"), and use "barbaric" for behavior or actions ("That was a barbaric act"). Also note that calling someone a "barbarian" can sound strong, rude, or humorous, depending on tone.
Meaning
rude or brutally uncivilized person
Collocations
act like a barbarian
|a complete barbarian
|you barbarian
|treat [someone] like a barbarian
|uncultured barbarian
Synonyms
savage (Stronger idea of wild, violent behavior; can sound more dramatic or offensive.)
|
brute (Focuses on rough, insensitive behavior rather than lack of culture.)
|
philistine (Stresses lack of cultural or artistic appreciation more than physical rudeness.)
Antonyms
civilized person (Emphasizes good manners and respect for social rules, the opposite of a barbarian.)
|
cultured person (Highlights education and appreciation of art and culture, which a barbarian is said to lack.)
Themes
people
|insults
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Definition
A person who is very rude, rough, or has no manners or culture.
A person who behaves in a very rude, violent, or uncivilized way, especially someone lacking culture or good manners.
NOUN
C1
2
barbár
B2
Usage pattern:
a barbarian [tribe/army/king]
Roman writers often described the northern tribes as bloodthirsty barbarians.
A római írók gyakran vérszomjas barbárokként írták le az északi törzseket.
The so‑called barbarian invasions helped bring down the Western Roman Empire.
Az úgynevezett barbár inváziók hozzájárultak a Nyugatrómai Birodalom bukásához.
Some historians argue that the barbarians were no more violent than the Romans themselves.
The museum’s new exhibit looks at how Greek art portrayed barbarians on pottery and sculpture.
Learner examples
The Romans called many foreign peoples barbarians.
A rómaiak sok idegen népet barbároknak neveztek.
Barbarians from the north attacked the empire.
Az északi barbárok megtámadták a birodalmat.
In the book, a young Roman soldier meets a barbarian girl.
The teacher says the word "barbarian" comes from the Greek language.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "barbarian" is a neutral word for any ancient foreign group. In modern academic writing it is usually used with some distance or quotation marks, because it reflects the negative view of the ancient writers, not an objective description.
Meaning
member of an ancient ‘uncivilized’ people
Collocations
barbarian tribes
|barbarian invasions
|Germanic barbarians
|barbarian kingdoms
|barbarian chiefs
Synonyms
outsider (Emphasizes not belonging to the main civilization, but lacks the strong negative value judgment of "barbarian".)
|
tribesman (Focuses on membership in a tribe; does not itself mean uncivilized and is more neutral.)
Antonyms
Roman (In many historical contexts, Romans saw themselves as civilized in contrast to surrounding barbarians.)
|
civilized person (Expresses the value judgment used by ancient writers who called foreign groups barbarians.)
Themes
history
|politics
|society
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In ancient times, a person from a group that the Greeks, Romans, or other old peoples thought was wild or not civilized.
In ancient history, a person belonging to a people that Greek, Roman, or other old civilizations regarded as uncivilized foreigners.
B2
3
barbár
B2
Usage pattern:
to play a barbarian [character/class]
In our Dungeons & Dragons campaign, I’m playing a half‑orc barbarian.
A Dungeons & Dragons-kampányunkban egy félork barbárt játszom.
The game lets you choose from several classes, including barbarian, wizard, and ranger.
A játék több kaszt közül enged választani, köztük a barbár, a varázsló és a vadőr közül.
Conan the Barbarian became an iconic figure in fantasy fiction.
Her barbarian has low intelligence but incredible strength and hit points.
Learner examples
He likes to play a barbarian in video games.
Szeret barbárt játszani a videojátékokban.
The barbarian in the story lives in the wild.
A történet barbárja a vadonban él.
My character is a barbarian with a big axe.
In this game, a barbarian is very strong but not very smart.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this game meaning is the main meaning of "barbarian". In general English, it is still mainly an insult or historical term. Also, note that in many games "barbarian" is the name of a class, so it is often capitalized or used in a technical way in game rules.
Meaning
fantasy or game warrior type
Collocations
play a barbarian
|barbarian class
|Conan the Barbarian
|level 5 barbarian
|barbarian warrior
Synonyms
warrior (General word for a fighter; does not necessarily suggest tribal or "savage" background.)
|
berserker (A raging, uncontrollable fighter; in some games this is a specific type of barbarian.)
Antonyms
wizard (In games and stories, a user of magic, often contrasted with physically strong but non‑magical classes like barbarians.)
|
paladin (A holy or law‑bound warrior, often contrasted with the freer, less disciplined barbarian type.)
Themes
entertainment
|games
|fantasy
|arts_entertainment
Definition
In fantasy books and games, a strong fighter from a wild tribe or simple society, often using rage and strength instead of magic.
In fantasy stories and role‑playing games, a powerful warrior from a tribal or so‑called primitive society, often known for strength, rage, and simple living rather than formal training or magic.
C1
LITERARY
4
barbár
B2
Usage pattern:
barbarian [custom/ways/culture/practices]
They condemned the barbarian practice of public executions.
Elítélték a nyilvános kivégzések barbár gyakorlatát.
From her point of view, the invaders brought barbarian ways to a once‑peaceful land.
Az ő szemszögéből a megszállók barbár szokásokat hoztak egy egykor békés földre.
The novel contrasts the city’s values with the supposedly barbarian culture of the desert tribes.
Learner examples
Many people see that law as a barbarian idea.
Sokan barbár elképzelésnek tartják azt a törvényt.
He spoke against barbarian practices in the prison.
Felszólalt a börtönben alkalmazott barbár gyakorlatok ellen.
They said the old punishments were barbarian and must stop.
Common mistake:
Most of the time, modern English uses "barbaric" rather than "barbarian" as an adjective ("barbaric punishment", not usually "barbarian punishment"). Learners may sound a little unnatural if they overuse "barbarian" instead of "barbaric" before nouns.
Meaning
cruel or uncivilized in nature
Collocations
barbarian customs
|barbarian practices
|barbarian ways
|barbarian culture
Synonyms
barbaric (More common modern adjective for extremely cruel or uncivilized acts.)
|
savage (Strongly emphasizes wild, brutal, or violent behavior.)
Antonyms
civilized (Stresses polite, ordered, and humane behavior instead of harsh and uncivilized behavior.)
|
humane (Focuses on kindness and care for others, the opposite of cruel "barbarian" treatment.)
Themes
behavior
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describing actions or ways of life that seem very rough, without culture, or very cruel.
Describing customs, behavior, or ways of life that are seen as extremely rough, uncivilized, or cruel, in the manner of supposed barbarians.
Grammar
Dictionary form
barbarian
IPA
GB/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/
US/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/
Syllables & stress
bar - i - an (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (i)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: barbarian
Noun
- Base: barbarian
- Plural: barbarians
Word family
Forms
barbarians
noun
Core family
barbaric
adjective
Related words
barbarically
adverb
Advanced or less common
Expressions
barbarians at the gate
1/bɑɹbˈɛɹiənz ˈæt ðə ɡˈeɪt/
idiom
literary
outsiders about to take over
People or groups from outside who are very close to taking power from the people who have power now, often used in business or politics.
Examples
- With several tech start‑ups offering cheaper services, the big phone company can feel the barbarians at the gate.
- Traditional universities see online courses as barbarians at the gate challenging their old model.