noun
- people regarded as primitive, uncivilized, or culturally inferior
- members of tribes or peoples outside the Greek and Roman civilizations in ancient times
- people who behave in a crude, violent, or destructive manner
Usage: often considered offensive when applied to modern peoples
Usage: historical
Examples
- The Romans considered the Germanic tribes to be barbarians.
- Ancient Greek writers often described non-Greeks as barbarians.
- The protesters were called barbarians after they destroyed public property.
- Many scholars now reject the term barbarians as culturally biased.
- The museum exhibit challenged stereotypes about so-called barbarians.
- Medieval chronicles portrayed Viking raiders as fierce barbarians.
- Modern historians emphasize the sophisticated cultures of peoples once labeled barbarians.