uncivilized

/'ʌn'sivilaizd/

Thân thiện

A group of uncivilized people huddle around a fire in a dark forest.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not having reached an advanced social or cultural stage; lacking the norms, customs, and refinements associated with a developed society. This describes societies, peoples, or practices considered primitive or barbaric by a specific cultural standard.
   • Behaving in a rude, coarse, or brutal manner. This describes individual behavior that is considered crude, violent, or lacking in civility.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • Early explorers often mistakenly labeled indigenous tribes as uncivilized.
  • The act of destroying cultural heritage is widely viewed as an uncivilized practice.
  • His uncivilized behavior at the dinner party shocked the other guests.

Advanced Usage

• "uncivilized to the core": completely lacking in civilized qualities.
  • The dictator's regime was considered uncivilized to the core, showing no respect for human rights.
• Used in anthropological or historical critique, often within quotes to indicate the term reflects a biased, ethnocentric perspective rather than an objective fact.
  • The term "uncivilized" is now problematic as it imposes one culture's standards on another.

Variants and Related Words

• Uncivil (adj): rude, impolite, discourteous (typically describes specific behavior, not whole societies).
  • His uncivil remarks ended the debate.
• Uncivilizedly (adv): in an uncivilized manner. (Rarely used)
• Civilized (adj): opposite in meaning; having a high state of culture and social development; polite, well-mannered.

Synonyms

• Barbaric: savagely cruel or primitive.
• Barbarous: extremely brutal or primitive.
• Savage: fierce, violent, and uncontrolled; primitive.
• Primitive: relating to an early stage of development.
• Crude: simple and not skillfully done or made; lacking grace or sensitivity.

Antonyms

• Civilized
• Cultured
• Sophisticated
• Refined
• Developed

Related Idioms/Phrases

• A return to uncivilized times: a regression to a state perceived as primitive or lawless.
  • The collapse of the government led to what many feared was a return to uncivilized times.
• Uncivilized hour: (informal, humorous) a very early or inconvenient time of day.
  • Why is the meeting scheduled for such an uncivilized hour?

Học thuật

Adjective

1. without civilizing influences
   • barbarian invaders
   • barbaric practices
   • a savage people
   • fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient-Margaret Meade
   • wild tribes

Từ đồng nghĩa

• barbarian
• barbaric
• savage
• uncivilised
• wild