English

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈvaɪ.ə.lənt/, /ˈvaɪ.lənt/
  • Rhymes: -aɪlənt
  • Hyphenation: vi‧o‧l‧ent
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

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violent (comparative violenter or more violent, superlative violentest or most violent)

  1. Involving extreme force or motion.
    A violent wind ripped the branch from the tree.
  2. Involving physical conflict.
    We would rather negotiate, but we will use violent means if necessary.
  3. Likely to use physical force.
    The escaped prisoners are considered extremely violent.
  4. Intensely vivid.
    The artist expressed his emotional theme through violent colors.
  5. Produced or effected by force; not spontaneous; unnatural.
  6. This term needs a definition. Please help out and add a definition, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    • 2025 March 1, Barney Ronay, “Crystal Palace through after Millwall keeper’s red for head-high tackle on Mateta”, in The Guardian[1]:
      Palace made it 3-1 on 81 minutes, Nketiah nipping in to finish nicely, then doing a no-celebration pose in front of the away fans. Nketiah grew up a couple of miles from the Den. It felt, at the very least, like a neighbourly overture, and in violent contrast to the opening act at the other end.

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

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violent (third-person singular simple present violents, present participle violenting, simple past and past participle violented)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To urge with violence.
    • 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; [], London: [] Iohn Williams [], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
      a great adversary , stepping in , so violented his Majesty to a trial

Noun

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violent (plural violents)

  1. (obsolete) An assailant.
    • 1667, Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety:
      Did the Covetous extortioner observe that he is involv'd in the same sentence, [and] remember that such Violents shall take not heaven, but hell, by force.

Anagrams

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Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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violent (feminine violenta, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)

  1. violent

Derived terms

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Further reading

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French

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Etymology 1

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Inherited from Old French violent, borrowed from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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violent (feminine violente, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)

  1. violent
  2. severe

Etymology 2

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See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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violent

  1. third-person plural present indicative/subjunctive of violer

Further reading

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Anagrams

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Latin

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Verb

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violent

  1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of violō

Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old French violent, from Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˌviːɔlˈɛnt/, /ˌviːəlˈɛnt/, /viəlˈɛnt/, /ˈviːəlɛnt/

Adjective

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violent (plural and weak singular violente)

  1. Violent, forcible, injury-causing.
  2. Potent, mighty, damaging, forceful
  3. Severe, extreme; excessive in magnitude.
  4. Tending to cause injuries; likely to cause violence.
  5. Abrupt; happening without warning or notice.
  6. (rare) Despotic, authoritarian; ruling unfairly.
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Descendants

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  • English: violent

References

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Occitan

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Etymology

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From Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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violent m (feminine singular violenta, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentas)

  1. violent
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Old French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin violentus.

Adjective

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violent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular violent or violente)

  1. violent (using violence)

Descendants

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Piedmontese

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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violent

  1. violent

Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French violent, Latin violentus.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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violent m or n (feminine singular violentă, masculine plural violenți, feminine and neuter plural violente)

  1. violent

Declension

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Declension of violent
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative-
accusative
indefinite violent violentă violenți violente
definite violentul violenta violenții violentele
genitive-
dative
indefinite violent violente violenți violente
definite violentului violentei violenților violentelor
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