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Webster 1913 Edition

Savage

Sav′age

(?; 48)
,
Adj.
[F.
sauvage
, OF.
salvage
, fr. L.
silvaticus
belonging to a wood, wild, fr.
silva
a wood. See
Silvan
, and cf.
Sylvatic
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to the forest; remote from human abodes and cultivation; in a state of nature; wild;
as, a
savage
wilderness
.
2.
Wild; untamed; uncultivated;
as,
savage
beasts
.
Cornels, and
savage
berries of the wood.
Dryden.
3.
Uncivilized; untaught; unpolished; rude;
as,
savage
life;
savage
manners
.
What nation, since the commencement of the Christian era, ever rose from
savage
to civilized without Christianity?
E. D. Griffin.
4.
Characterized by cruelty; barbarous; fierce; ferocious; inhuman; brutal;
as, a
savage
spirit
.
Syn. – Ferocious; wild; uncultivated; untamed; untaught; uncivilized; unpolished; rude; brutish; brutal; heathenish; barbarous; cruel; inhuman; fierce; pitiless; merciless; unmerciful; atrocious. See
Ferocious
.

Sav′age

,
Noun.
1.
A human being in his native state of rudeness; one who is untaught, uncivilized, or without cultivation of mind or manners.
2.
A man of extreme, unfeeling, brutal cruelty; a barbarian.

Sav′age

(?; 48)
,
Verb.
T.
To make savage.
[R.]
Its bloodhounds,
savaged
by a cross of wolf.
Southey.

Webster 1828 Edition

Savage

SAV'AGE

,
Adj.
[L. silva, a wood, or silvicola, an inhabitant of a wood, or silvaticus.]
1.
Pertaining to the forest; wild; remote from human residence and improvements; uncultivated; as a savage wilderness.
Cornels and savage berries of the wood.
2.
Wild; untamed; as savage beasts of prey.
3.
Uncivilized; untaught; unpolished; rude; as savage life; savage manners.
What nation since the commencement of the christian era, ever rose from savage to civilized without christianity?
4.
Cruel; barbarous; fierce; ferocious; inhuman; brutal; as a savage spirit.

SAV'AGE

,
Noun.
1.
A human being in his native state of rudeness; one who is untaught, uncivilized or without cultivation of mind or manners. The savages of America, when uncorrupted by the vices of civilized men, are remarkable for their hospitality to strangers, and for their truth, fidelity and gratitude to their friends, but implacably cruel and revengeful towards their enemies. From this last trait of the savage character, the word came to signify,
2.
A man of extreme, unfeeling, brutal cruelty; a barbarian.
3.
The name of a genus of fierce voracious flies.

SAV'AGE

,
Verb.
T.
To make wild, barbarous or cruel. [Not well authorized and little used.]

Definition 2024

Savage

Savage

See also: savage

English

Proper noun

Savage

  1. A surname​.
  2. A census-designated place in Maryland.
  3. A city in Minnesota.

savage

savage

See also: Savage

English

Adjective

savage ‎(comparative more savage, superlative most savage)

  1. Wild; not cultivated.
    a savage wilderness
    • Dryden
      savage berries of the wood
  2. Barbaric; not civilized.
    savage manners
    • 1719- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
      I observed a place where there had been a fire made, and a circle dug in the earth, like a cockpit, where I supposed the savage wretches had sat down to their human feastings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures.
    • E. D. Griffin
      What nation, since the commencement of the Christian era, ever rose from savage to civilized without Christianity?
  3. Fierce and ferocious.
    savage beasts
    a savage spirit
  4. Brutal, vicious, or merciless.
    He gave the dog a savage kick.
    The woman was killed in a savage manner.
  5. (Britain, slang) Unpleasant or unfair.
    - I'll see you in detention.
    - Ah, savage!

Translations

Noun

savage ‎(plural savages)

  1. (pejorative) An uncivilized or feral human; a barbarian.
    • 1847, Benjamin Disraeli, Tancred: or The New Crusade, page 251
      'Well, my lord, I don't know,' said Freeman with a sort of jolly sneer; 'we have been dining with the savages.'
      'They are not savages, Freeman.'
      'Well, my lord, they have not much more clothes, anyhow; and as for knives and forks, there is not such a thing known.'
  2. (figuratively) A defiant person.

Translations

Verb

savage ‎(third-person singular simple present savages, present participle savaging, simple past and past participle savaged) (transitive)

  1. To attack or assault someone or something ferociously or without restraint.
  2. (figuratively) To criticise vehemently.
    His latest film was savaged by most reviewers.‎
    • 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
      British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.
  3. (of an animal) To attack with the teeth.
  4. (obsolete, transitive) To make savage.
    • South
      Its bloodhounds, savaged by a cross of wolf.

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Old French sauvage, salvage ‎(“wild, savage, untamed”), from Late Latin salvaticus, alteration of Latin silvaticus ‎(“wild"; literally, "of the woods”), from silva ‎(“forest", "grove”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsævɪdʒ/

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