Barbarities

/bɑrˈbærɪtiz/ noun

Definition

Plural of barbarity; brutal or savage acts; instances of extreme cruelty or harshness.

Etymology

From 'barbarity' (from Latin 'barbaritas' meaning wildness or savagery) plus the English plural '-ies.' The term has been used since the 15th century to describe acts of extreme cruelty.

Kelly Says

One person's 'barbarity' is often another person's war tactic—historians now recognize that calling enemy practices 'barbarities' was propaganda, a way to dehumanize those you were fighting!

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