violent

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled wiolent

US /ˈvaɪ.ə.lənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #2698

Meanings

1

adj
Using physical force meant to hurt or damage.

He was arrested for a violent attack on a neighbour.
2

adj
Likely to use physical force to harm others.

The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent.
3

adj
Involving extreme force or motion.

A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree.
4

adj
Very strong or intense, especially in emotion.

She felt a violent urge to scream.
5

adj
(of colours) very bright and intense.

The artist filled the canvas with violent colours.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

4 adj · very strong or intense,... fierce vehement

5 adj · (of colours) very bright... wild

Opposites

peaceful

Word family

Derived forms non-violentsilent-but-violentviolentism

Related forms violence

Appears in

Phrases (5)

See all

violent attack
an attack involving physical force or brutality

Adjective + noun
violent crime
a crime that involves physical harm or threat to a person

Adjective + noun
violent scene
a scene in a film, book, or real life that involves physical force or aggression

Adjective + noun
violent dislike
An extremely strong feeling of dislike.

Adjective + noun
violent clash
in colour combinations, a very strong and unpleasant contrast

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Silent is deadly
Matching variant: Silent is violent

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *wéyh₁s Proto-Italic *wīs Latin vīs Latin violō Latin -entus Latin violentusbor. Old French violentbor. Middle English violent English violent From Middle English violent, from Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs (“strength”). Displaced native Old English stræc. For the verb, compare French violenter.

violent Middle English violentus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# violent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈvaɪ.ə.lənt/
**Frequency rank:** 2698

## Meanings
1. Using physical force meant to hurt or damage.
2. Likely to use physical force to harm others.
3. Involving extreme force or motion.
4. Very strong or intense, especially in emotion.
5. (of colours) very bright and intense.

## Examples
- He was arrested for a violent attack on a neighbour.
- The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent.
- A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree.
- She felt a violent urge to scream.
- The artist filled the canvas with violent colours.

## Antonyms
- peaceful

## Derived Forms
- non-violent
- silent-but-violent
- violentism

## Related Forms
- violence

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: violent
- Root: violentus

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *wéyh₁s Proto-Italic *wīs Latin vīs Latin violō Latin -entus Latin violentusbor. Old French violentbor. Middle English violent English violent From Middle English violent, from Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs (“strength”). Displaced native Old English stræc. For the verb, compare French violenter.

## AI Etymology
Violent: The etymological chain runs Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- -> Proto-Indo-European *wéyh₁s -> Proto-Italic *wīs -> Latin vīs -> Latin violō -> Latin -entus -> Latin violentus -> Old French violent -> Middle English violent -> English violent. From Middle English violent, from Old French violent, from Latin violentus, from vīs (“strength”). Displaced native Old English stræc. For the verb, compare French violenter. In present-day use, it can mean using physical force meant to hurt or damage, or likely to use physical force to harm others.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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