Sav"age (?; 48), a. [F. sauvage, OF. salvage, fr. L. silvaticus belonging to a wood, wild, fr. silva a wood. See Silvan, and cf. Sylvatic.]

1.

Of or pertaining to the forest; remote from human abodes and cultivation; in a state of nature; nature; wild; as, a savage wilderness.

2.

Wild; untamed; uncultivated; as, savage beasts.

Cornels, and savage berries of the wood. Dryden.

3.

Uncivilized; untaught; unpolished; rude; as, savage life; savage manners.

What nation, since the commencement of the Christian era, ever rose from savage to civilized without Christianity? E. D. Griffin.

4.

Characterized by cruelty; barbarous; fierce; ferocious; inhuman; brutal; as, a savage spirit.

Syn. -- Ferocious; wild; uncultivated; untamed; untaught; uncivilized; unpolished; rude; brutish; brutal; heathenish; barbarous; cruel; inhuman; fierce; pitiless; merciless; unmerciful; atrocious. See Ferocious.

 

© Webster 1913.


Sav"age, n.

1.

A human being in his native state of rudeness; one who is untaught; uncivilized, or without cultivation of mind or manners.

2.

A man of extreme, unfeeling, brutal cruelty; a barbarian.

 

© Webster 1913.


Sav"age (?; 48), v. t.

To make savage.

[R.]

Its bloodhounds, savaged by a cross of wolf. South.

 

© Webster 1913.