English
brutal
Brutal comes from Medieval Latin brutalis ‘savage, stupid’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *gʷrūtos ‘heavy’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷrūtos‘heavy’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbrūtus‘dull, stupid’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500brutalis‘savage, stupid’
- Englishearliest quotation 2017brutal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷrūtos‘heavy’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbrūtus‘dull, stupid’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500brutalis‘savage, stupid’
- Englishearliest quotation 2017brutal
Earliest quotation: 2017, Peter Bradshaw, T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disap: “What began as a zeitgeisty outlaw romp in the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂- ‘heavy’
bar, guru, brigadier, aggravation, gravitate, brio, brigand, 18 more
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us ‘heavy’
grave, gravity, grief, grieve, grievous, grievance, aggravate, gravitation, gravitas, barite, baryon, 16 more
through Latin brūtus ‘dull, stupid’
Today it means
adj Savagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *gʷrūtos / brutal