brutos

Brutos is a term used in Portuguese and Spanish that functions as both an adjective and a noun in various contexts. As an adjective, it commonly describes something heavy, coarse, crude, or brutish. As a noun, it can refer to a brute or a person perceived as rough, unsophisticated, or physically strong. The word often carries a sense of lack of refinement rather than moral judgment, though in some uses it can imply brutality or insensibility.

Etymology and evolution: Bruto derives from Latin brutus, which carried senses of heaviness, dullness, or coarse nature. Through the Romance languages, the form and meanings developed into modern Portuguese and Spanish, where it remains productive in both adjectives and nouns.

Usages and domains: In economic and logistical language, brutos appears in fixed expressions such as peso bruto (gross weight), peso líquido (net weight), salario bruto (gross salary), and valor bruto (gross value). These terms are contrasted with their liquid or net equivalents to distinguish total amounts from deductions or losses. In everyday language, brutos can describe people or behavior as rough or uncultured, or refer to brute force. The word also appears in idiomatic phrases and compound terms, often emphasizing raw or unrefined characteristics.

Cultural and regional notes: Across dialects, the nuances of brutos can shift. In Brazilian Portuguese, for example, describing someone as “um bruto” can mean a physically strong but socially blunt person, whereas in other contexts it may simply express roughness or lack of sophistication. In formal writing, usage typically favors clearer terms like bruto in specific senses (gross, brute) rather than broad colloquial applications.

See also: Bruto, bruto (disambiguation) for related senses and usages in different languages.