savages
n. countablen. a very rude or cruel way to describe people that someone thinks are not civilized. It is an old-fashioned and often offensive word used to look down on others.
n. refers to people regarded as primitive, uncivilized, or fierce. Historically used in colonial contexts to dehumanize indigenous populations; currently carries a strong pejorative or offensive weight.
The book describes how explorers viewed the local people as savages.
Historians now criticize early colonial texts for labeling indigenous tribes as savages to justify taking their land.
The author deconstructs the trope of the 'noble savage', arguing that such labels served to simplify complex cultures into mere symbols for European philosophical debates.
Plural form of 'savage'. Highly sensitive in modern usage due to its history of racial and colonial prejudice.