different between ruthless vs murderous

English

Etymology

From Middle English reuþeles; equivalent to ruth +? -less.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??u??l?s/

Adjective

ruthless (comparative more ruthless, superlative most ruthless)

1. Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.

   Antonym: ruthful

   • 1725, Alexander Pope et al. (translators), Homer (author), The Odyssey of Homer, Volume I, Bernard Lintot, page 10:

     At length their rage the ho?tile Pow’rs re?train, / All but the ruthle?s Monarch of the Main.

Related terms

• ruthlessness

Translations

Anagrams

• Selhurst, hurtless, hustlers, sluthers

English

Etymology

From murder +? -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns denoting possession or presence of a quality).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??d???s/, /?m??d??s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?d???s/, /?m?d??s/
• Homophone: murderess (one pronunciation)
• Hyphenation: mur?der?ous

Adjective

murderous (comparative more murderous, superlative most murderous)

1. Of, characterized by, or pertaining to murder or murderers.
2. Of a person: intending or likely to commit murder; bloodthirsty, homicidal.

   Synonym: (obsolete) assassinous

   Antonyms: nonmurderous, unmurderous
3. (often figuratively) Of an object: used to commit murder; capable of causing death; deadly, fatal.

   Antonyms: nonmurderous, unmurderous
4. (by extension) Very difficult.

   Synonyms: killing; see also Thesaurus:difficult

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:easy

Alternative forms

• murtherous (obsolete)

Derived terms

• murderously
• murderousness
• nonmurderous
• unmurderous

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• murder on Wikipedia.Wikipedia