Standard Lemma guide

barbarianism

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A primitive or simplistic ethos or societal condition; barbarism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Some postulate that after a nuclear war, humanity would fall into a state of barbarianism.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Behaviour appropriate to a barbarian, that is uncivilized, brutal, or crude.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The teacher accused the bullies of barbarianism when she caught them taunting the girl in a wheelchair.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English barbarian Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English barbarianism From barbarian + -ism.