Cruel

/kruəl/ adjective

Definition

causing pain or suffering; showing no mercy or kindness

Etymology

From Old French cruel, from Latin crudelis 'raw, bloody'

Kelly Says

Cruel originally meant 'raw' or 'bloody' in Latin - it described the harsh, uncooked reality of merciless behavior!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.