brute

¹

[ broot ]

noun

1. a nonhuman creature; beast.
2. a brutal, insensitive, or crude person.
3. the animal qualities, desires, etc., of humankind:

   Father felt that rough games brought out the brute in us.

adjective

1. animal; not human.
2. not characterized by intelligence or reason; irrational.
3. characteristic of animals; of brutal character or quality.
4. savage; cruel:

   brute force.

5. carnal; sensual.

brute

²

[ broot ]

verb (used with object)

, brut·ed, brut·ing.

1. to shape (a diamond) by rubbing with another diamond or a diamond chip.

brute

/ bruːt /

noun

1. 1. any animal except man; beast; lower animal
   2. ( as modifier )

      brute nature

2. a brutal person

adjective

1. wholly instinctive or physical (esp in the phrases brute strength, brute force )
2. without reason or intelligence
3. coarse and grossly sensual

Other Words From

• brutelike adjective
• brutely adverb
• bruteness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brute¹

First recorded in 1425–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin brūtus “heavy, devoid of feeling, irrational”

Origin of brute²

First recorded in 1900–05; back formation from bruting “rough hewing (of a diamond),” partial translation of French brutage literally, “a roughing,” equivalent to brut “rough, raw” + -age; brute ¹, -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of brute¹

C15: from Latin brūtus heavy, irrational; related to gravis heavy

Synonym Study

See animal.

Example Sentences

Brute is the story of Mac and Jesse, two disenfranchised teens who turn to robbing houses as a form of recreation and quick cash.

From The Daily Beast

They knew that as much as they tried to make up for it with brute force, their cultural power was nil.

From The Daily Beast

Police ignored this advice and instead used brute force to remove Saylor.

From The Daily Beast

“It was no brute whom Smiley was pursuing with such mastery, no unqualified fanatic after all, no automaton,” le Carré writes.

From The Daily Beast

And on Game of Thrones, it's never wise to bet on good intentions over brute force.

From The Daily Beast

He has become by brute force of circumstances a sort of collectivist, puzzled only as to how much of a collectivist to be.

From Project Gutenberg

The eyes of the huge brute opened instantly, and he had half risen before the loud report of the gun rang through the thicket.

From Project Gutenberg

Saying this he advanced towards the brute, but again the powerful hand of Mafuta seized him.

From Project Gutenberg

He recovered himself, however, in a moment, and fired—sending a ball into the brute which just touched the brain and stunned it.

From Project Gutenberg

It wasn't any scruple of mercy, for Hicks was as cold-blooded a brute as ever glanced down a gun-barrel.

From Project Gutenberg