violentes

Violentes is the masculine plural form of the Portuguese adjective violente, meaning violent. In Portuguese, adjectives agree with nouns in gender and number, so violente becomes violentes when referring to multiple masculine subjects (and violentes is also used with mixed or masculine plural). The word can describe people, actions, or groups characterized by violence. In English-language translation, violentes would typically be rendered as “the violent ones” or “violent people.” The term also exists in other Romance languages with similar roots, such as violent in Spanish or Italian forms, though orthography differs.

Etymology: Violentes derives from Latin violentus, related to vis, “force” or “power,” and has cognates in many Romance languages. The sense of intensity and forcefulness underpins its usage in modern languages to label violent conduct or actors.

Usage and nuance: In neutral writing, violentes can modify a noun or stand as a predicative attribute: “grupos violentes” (violent groups) or “atos violentes” (violent acts). Like any adjective, its connotation depends on context; it can describe criminal behavior, war, or non-legal violence, but it should be used carefully to avoid stigmatizing individuals.

Other uses: When capitalized, Violentes could be encountered as a proper noun in fictional works, media titles, or organizational names, though such usage is context-specific and not a standard term.

See also: violence, violent, aggression, crime.