'savagery' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'sauvagerie', where 'sauvage' meant 'wild' (ultimately from Latin 'silvaticus', meaning 'of the woods').

'savage' came into English via Old French 'sauvage' (from Latin 'silvaticus'); the Old French noun 'sauvagerie' developed into Middle English forms and eventually became the modern English 'savagery'.

Initially, it referred to being 'wild' or 'of the woods'; over time the sense shifted toward 'barbarous' and 'extreme cruelty', producing the modern meaning of 'brutality' or 'inhuman violence'.