cruel

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkɹuːəl/, /kɹuːl/^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old French cruel, earlier crudel,^[2][3][4] from Latin crūdēlis (“rude, unfeeling, hard-hearted”),^[2][3] related to crūdus, rough, raw, bloody (see crude, raw).^[2][3][5] The loss of the Latin medial d began in French in the 10th century.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Severe, strict: probably before 1200, in the Ancrene Riwle,^[3] about 1200 in Etymonline;^[2] this sense is obsolete.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Of suffering or death, attended by much distress, it is from the early 13th century.^[2] Pitiless, disposed to inflict suffering, is from about 1300 (1297 in the OED).^[3][2][6] Of men or wild beasts, fierce or savage, it is from before 1300.^[6] In Australia it is also a verb, to spoil or ruin.^[7] In dialect from Ireland to Cornwall it was also an intensive meaning dreadful, terrible, or great.^[8]

Timeline

• before 1200 – severe, strict.^[3]
• early 13th century – distressing.^[2]
• c. 1300 – pitiless.^[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Willing to cause pain or suffering, without pity.
2. Causing pain or suffering: a cruel accident.

Verb

1. (Australian) To spoil or ruin something.

Word family

• cruelly
• cruelness
• uncruel

Related words

• crude
• cruelty
• raw
• crudity

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)