different between heartless vs barbarous

English

Etymology

From Middle English hertles, herteles, from Old English heortl?as (“without courage; listless”), equivalent to heart +? -less.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?h??t.l?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??t.l?s/
• Hyphenation: heart?less

Adjective

heartless (comparative more heartless, superlative most heartless)

1. (obsolete) Without courage; fearful, cowardly. [10th–19th c.]
   • 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, II.iii.7:

     Cecilia then, though almost heartless, resolved upon talking with Mr. Harrel himself […].

2. (now rare) Listless, unenthusiastic. [from 14th c.]
3. Without a physical heart. [from 15th c.]
4. Without feeling, emotion, or concern for others; uncaring. [from 16th c.]

   His heartless actions and cold manner left her saddened and feeling alone.

Derived terms

• heartlessly
• heartlessness

Translations

Anagrams

• Earthless, earthless, hartlesse, shearlets

English

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) barbarouse

Etymology

Late Middle English, from Latin barbarus (“foreigner, savage”), from Ancient Greek ???????? (bárbaros, “foreign, strange”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??(?)b???s/

Adjective

barbarous (comparative more barbarous, superlative most barbarous)

1. (said of language) Not classical or pure.
2. uncivilized, uncultured
   • 1923, Walter de la Mare, Seaton's Aunt

     I felt vaguely he was a sneak, and remained quite unmollified by advances on his side, which, in a boy's barbarous fashion, unless it suited me to be magnanimous, I haughtily ignored.

3. Like a barbarian, especially in sound; noisy, dissonant.

   I did but prompt the age to quit their cloggs

   By the known rules of antient libertie,

   When strait a barbarous noise environs me

   Of Owles and Cuckoes, Asses, Apes and Doggs - I did but prompt the age to quit their cloggs, John Milton (1673)

Derived terms

• barbarously
• barbarousness

Related terms

• barbarian
• barbaric

Translations