savages

Noun

savage (plural savages)

1. (derogatory, historical) A member of a traditional, nonindustrialised society or indigenous tribe or other group, typically living closely with nature outside of the infrastructure of urbanized civilization.
   • 'Well, my lord, I don't know,' said Freeman with a sort of jolly sneer; 'we have been dining with the savages.'
     'They are not savages, Freeman.'
     'Well, my lord, they have not much more clothes, anyhow; and as for knives and forks, there is not such a thing known.'1847, Benjamin Disraeli, Tancred: or The New Crusade, page 251
2. (figuratively) An aggressively defiant person.
   • Their kids are little savages! One of them bit me the other day.
3. (slang) Someone who speaks in an audacious, hilarious, and often sarcastic manner.
   • It was on Dec. 29 that TikTok star Liv Pearsall posted a video titled "7 Times Elmo Was an Absolute Savage," in which the star with more than 2.7 million followers lip-synced to various Elmo-ments.2022 January 6, Kalhan Rosenblatt, “Elmo's feud with a pet rock has consumed the internet”, in NBC News, archived from the original on 29 May 2023
4. (obsolete) A wild and ferocious beast.
   • The torch-eyed ſavage, with growl tremendous, riſing up, diſlocated at one blow the arched neck of Sadit's Arabian ſteed, and brought the unfortunate omrah to the duſt, expiring between his extended claws.1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 7

See all 22 meanings of savage