In 6 -itie. [f. L. barbar-us BARBAROUS + -ITY: not in L. or F.]
† 1. = BARBARISM 2. Obs. or arch. (The earliest sense, taking place of the earlier barbarie, and now in its turn superseded by barbarism.)
1570. Levins, Manip., /109. Barbarite, barbaries.
1604. James I., Counterbl. (Arb.), 99. From base corruption and barbarity.
1698. Sidney, On Govt., iii. § 13 (1704), 279. That wretched Barbarity in which the Romans found our Ancestors.
1773. Johnson, Lett., 81, I. 161. A nation just rising from barbarity.
1819. R. Chapman, Jas. V., 89. At this time … barbarity and ignorance had not overspread Scotland.
2. Barbarous or savage cruelty, such as is alien to civilization; inhumanity. (The usual sense.)
1685. Gracian’s Courtier’s Oracle, 197. The barbarity whereof will be more supportable than the fierce and haughty humour of these men.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 183. With breach of faith, with cruelty and barbarity.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 95. When defenceless women … and even babes, are made the victims of their shocking barbarity.
1884. Pall Mall Gaz., 16 Aug., 2/1. I have seen some cases of horrible barbarity.
b. with pl. An act of barbarous cruelty.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XXIV. 263. Oh! might I … these barbarities repay!
a. 1731. Atterbury, Serm. Martyrd. Chas. I. (R.). He had borne lesser barbarities.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. I. i. 3. These two extraordinary men rivalled or exceeded Attila in their wholesale barbarities.
3. Of language: = BARBARISM 1, and 1 b. ? Obs.
1706. trans. Dupin’s Eccl. Hist. 16th C., II. v. 39. He always uses Latine Terms and avoids Barbarity.
1727. Swift, Eng. Tongue, Wks. 1755, II. I. 129. To quit their simplicity of style for affected refinements … which ended by degrees in many barbarities.
1796. Pegge, Anonym. (1809), 471. We have our monstrous, prodigious, vast, shocking, devilish, at every turn: are we not driving towards Barbarity?
4. Barbarism of style in art. b. with pl. An instance of want of artistic culture.
1644. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 107. When architecture was but newly recovered from the Gothic barbarity.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 27. 215. To shame by the beauty of her structures the comparative barbarities of Art.
1879. Miss Braddon, Vixen, I. i. 21. The oak panelling was painted white, a barbarity on the part of … the West End decorators.
