Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “barbaric” come from?

Barbaric derives from Ancient Greek βαρβαρικός, formed from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος with the Ancient Greek suffix -κός, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.

barbaric (English): of or relating to a barbarian; uncivilized,...

Definitions

  1. of or relating to a barbarian; uncivilized,...

Ancestry of “barbaric”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbarbarik—
2LatinbarbaricusBerber
3Ancient Greekβαρβαρικόςbarbaric; non-Greek
4Ancient Greek-ικόςof or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic
5Ancient Greek-κόςforms adjectives with the sense of 'of or...
6Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic

Words derived from “barbaric”

  • barbarically
  • semibarbaric
  • nonbarbaric
  • non-barbaric
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos →