barbarian
noun
bar·bar·i·an
bär-ˈber-ē-ən 
plural barbarians
1
: a person from an alien land, culture, or group believed to be inferior, uncivilized, or violent
—used chiefly in historical references
In the Roman Empire, cohorts … patrolled the provinces, repelling the barbarians and maintaining the emperor's sovereignty.—
Paul C. Schuytema
Paul C. SchuytemaMuch of Italy had slipped from the grasp of the Byzantines, victim to the vigorous Germanic barbarians… who had begun their migration southward from the forested fastnesses of eastern and central Europe.—Stephen O'Shea
Stephen O'Shea2
: a barbarous person : a rude, crude, uneducated, or uncivilized person
No, I'm not some sort of barbarian who would open a bottle of wine to enjoy some before offering it as a gift. That would be uncouth.—Irv Erdos
Irv ErdosExamples of barbarian in a Sentence
the invading Germanic tribes were viewed as barbarians by the citizens of ancient Rome
Recent Examples on the Web
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
While the original action figure might at first glance look like a classic cartoon barbarian, the character and his world are a wild blend of science fiction, fantasy, action-adventure, and even comedy.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 2 June 2026
In the series adaptation, from creator, executive producer and co-showrunner Turner (Up In The Air, X-Men First Class), a ruthless and crass barbarian is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch on a road of self discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden and edited by Adrian Wassel, Barbaric centers on a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch, on a road of self-discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbarian
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Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
While the original action figure might at first glance look like a classic cartoon barbarian, the character and his world are a wild blend of science fiction, fantasy, action-adventure, and even comedy.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 2 June 2026
In the series adaptation, from creator, executive producer and co-showrunner Turner (Up In The Air, X-Men First Class), a ruthless and crass barbarian is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch on a road of self discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden and edited by Adrian Wassel, Barbaric centers on a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch, on a road of self-discovery, redemption and revenge.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbarian
Cite this Entry
“Barbarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarian. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barbarian
noun
bar·bar·i·an
bär-ˈber-ē-ən
bär-ˈbar-
: an uncivilized person
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