callous
KAL-us
/ˈkæl.əs/
Showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
Describes emotional hardening, unfeeling indifference, and lack of sympathy.
The story behind the word. Traces back to Latin 'callum', meaning thick skin caused by repeated rubbing. In the late 16th century, writers extended this physical metaphor to describe hearts hardened against emotional warmth.
Word relationships
- unfeeling: Unfeeling suggests a lack of emotion; callous implies hardened indifference developed over time.
- insensitive: Insensitive can mean unaware; callous implies conscious indifference.
- compassionate: Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.
- sensitive: Quick to detect or feel sympathy for emotional states.
Commonly confused with
- callus: Callus is the noun for hardened skin; callous is the adjective for unfeeling emotional behavior.
Word family
- callously (adverb): In an unfeeling or insensitive manner.
- callousness (noun): Insensitivity and cruel disregard for others.
Collocations
- callous disregard
- callous attitude
- callous indifference
Idioms & expressions
- hard-hearted
- thick-skinned
Example sentences
- "The minister faced harsh public outrage over his callous remarks regarding the displaced workers." Public affairs
- "A callous attitude toward environmental degradation threatens future generations." Ethics essay
Memory hook
Callous emotions are as hard and unfeeling as a thick skin callus. Hard skin on hands = hard heart toward others.
When not to use
Do not confuse with the noun 'callus', which refers to hardened skin physically.
Fun facts
- The physical skin condition 'callus' and emotional 'callous' share the exact same Latin origin.
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