beastly

Beastly is an English adjective derived from the noun beast. It can mean physically beast-like, untamed, or ferocious, or morally brutal or cruel. In everyday speech, it is often used to intensify negative qualities, as in “beastly weather” or “beastly behavior,” meaning extremely unpleasant or nasty. In more formal or zoological contexts, it can describe animal attributes, though its primary use remains figurative when referring to people or actions.

Etymology and history: The adjective beastly is formed by adding the suffix -ly to the noun beast, a construction that dates to Middle English. The sense of “monstrous” or “inhuman” arises in early modern English and continues in contemporary usage.

Usage in culture: In literature and film, Beastly has appeared as a title or element in adaptations of Beauty and the Beast. The 2007 young adult novel Beastly by Alex Flinn reimagines the tale in a modern setting. A 2011 film adaptation, Beastly, stars Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer and draws on Flinn's novel. Beyond titles, critics may describe characters or scenarios as beastly to denote cruelty, extremity, or animal-like behavior.

See also: Beast, Beastliness, Cruelty, Bestial.