barbarian
gb/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/ us/bɑɹbˈɛɹiən/
B2
English
~ 9600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
informal
B2
entity
1
rude or brutally uncivilized person
A person who is very rude, rough, or has no manners or culture.
Usage pattern:
to call [someone] a barbarian
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.
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.)
Collocations
act like a barbarian
|a complete barbarian
|you barbarian
|treat [someone] like a barbarian
|uncultured barbarian
Themes
people
|insults
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- He eats with his hands like a total barbarian.
- Only a barbarian would carve his name into a 2,000‑year‑old statue.
- 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.
- He is a barbarian when he gets angry.
- They think football fans are barbarians, but most are friendly.
- She says her roommates are barbarians because they never clean.
Noun
C1
entity
2
member of an ancient ‘uncivilized’ people
In ancient times, a person from a group that the Greeks, Romans, or other old peoples thought was wild or not civilized.
Usage pattern:
a barbarian [tribe/army/king]
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.
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.)
Collocations
barbarian tribes
|barbarian invasions
|Germanic barbarians
|barbarian kingdoms
|barbarian chiefs
Themes
history
|politics
|society
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Roman writers often described the northern tribes as bloodthirsty barbarians.
- The so‑called barbarian invasions helped bring down the Western Roman Empire.
- 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.
- Barbarians from the north attacked the empire.
- In the book, a young Roman soldier meets a barbarian girl.
- The teacher says the word "barbarian" comes from the Greek language.
unknown
B2
entity
3
fantasy or game warrior type
In fantasy books and games, a strong fighter from a wild tribe or simple society, often using rage and strength instead of magic.
Usage pattern:
to play a barbarian [character/class]
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.
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.)
Collocations
play a barbarian
|barbarian class
|Conan the Barbarian
|level 5 barbarian
|barbarian warrior
Themes
entertainment
|games
|fantasy
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- In our Dungeons & Dragons campaign, I’m playing a half‑orc barbarian.
- The game lets you choose from several classes, including barbarian, wizard, and ranger.
- 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.
- The barbarian in the story lives in the wild.
- My character is a barbarian with a big axe.
- In this game, a barbarian is very strong but not very smart.
adjective
literary
C1
property
4
cruel or uncivilized in nature
Describing actions or ways of life that seem very rough, without culture, or very cruel.
Usage pattern:
barbarian [custom/ways/culture/practices]
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.
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.)
Collocations
barbarian customs
|barbarian practices
|barbarian ways
|barbarian culture
Themes
behavior
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They condemned the barbarian practice of public executions.
- From her point of view, the invaders brought barbarian ways to a once‑peaceful land.
- 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.
- He spoke against barbarian practices in the prison.
- They said the old punishments were barbarian and must stop.
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.