Where does “brutal” come from?
brutal (Middle French) comes from Medieval Latin brutalis, from Latin brūtus, from Proto-Indo-European gʷréh₂us, from Proto-Indo-European -us — Forms adjectives from Caland system roots.
brutal (Middle French): savage
Definitions
- savage
Ancestry of “brutal”, step by step
brutal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Medieval Latin brutalis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | brutalis | savage, stupid |
| 2 | Latin | brūtus | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷréh₂us | heavy |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -us | Forms adjectives from Caland system roots |
via Late Latin brutalis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | brutalis | beastly, stupid; savage, stupid |