Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: sauvage, from Medieval Latin salvaticus, from Latin silvaticus 'of the woods, wild', from silva 'forest'

savage

1 adjective
     
Related topics: Anthropology
sav‧age1
1

violent

very violent or cruel:
a savage dog
a savage murder
2

criticizing

criticizing someone or something very severely:
a savage attack on the government
3

severe

very severe:
The government has announced savage cuts in spending.
a savage storm
4

people

[only before noun] old-fashioned not politeSA an offensive word used to describe people who have a simple, traditional way of life:
• a savage tribe
—savagely adverb:
He was savagely attacked and beaten.
—savageness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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