Definition
Ruthless describes someone who is cruel and shows no pity or mercy. A ruthless person will do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if others are hurt.
Etymology
From *ruth* meaning 'pity or compassion' plus *-less*, meaning 'without'. *Ruth* itself comes from Old English *hrēow*, meaning 'sorrow' or 'repentance'.
Kelly Says
Ruthless literally means 'without ruth', and *ruth* used to be a common word for compassion—but it almost disappeared while its negative stayed alive. English remembers our lack of mercy more clearly than our mercy itself. Language can quietly show which traits a culture keeps talking about.
Translations
BNবাংলা
অহংকারী
oh-hon-ka-ree
CACatalà
sense de pietat
sen-sa de pee-at
CSČeština
bezcitný
bez-cit-nyy
DADansk
uforsonlig
oo-for-son-lig
DEDeutsch
barbarisch
bar-ba-rish
ELΕλληνικά
απάνθρωπος
a-pan-thro-pos
FISuomi
piittaamaton
piit-ta-a-ma-ton
FRFrançais
sans pitié
san pee-tee
HEעברית
בלתי רחמן
bal-ti rachman
HIहिन्दी
निर्दयी
nir-dayee
HUMagyar
kegyetlen
ke-gyet-len
IDBahasa Indonesia
kejam
ke-jam
ITItaliano
spietato
spe-e-ta-to
MSBahasa Melayu
kejam
ke-jam
NLNederlands
barbaars
bar-baars
NONorsk
barmhjertig
barm-her-tig
PLPolski
bezlitosny
bez-li-to-sny
PTPortuguês
sem piedade
sem pee-da-de
RORomână
fără milă
fa-ra mi-la
RUРусский
безжалостный
bez-zhalost-nyy
SVSvenska
barmhärtig
barm-har-tig
SWKiswahili
wavivu
wa-vi-vu
TAதமிழ்
அக்கரம்
ak-ka-ram
TLTL
walang awa
wa-lang a-wa
TRTürkçe
merhametsiz
mer-ha-met-siz
UKУкраїнська
безжалісний
bez-zhal-is-nyy
VITiếng Việt
vô tình
vo-tinh
ZH中文
冷酷无情
ling-koo wu-qing
ZUZU
buhlungu
boo-hlun-goo