1530s, from Latin truculentus "fierce, savage, stern, harsh, cruel," from trux (genitive trucis) "fierce, rough, savage, wild," perhaps from a suffixed form of PIE root *tere- (2) "cross over, pass through, overcome." Related: Truculently.
a truculent speech against the new government
trucial
truck
trucker
truckle
truculence
truculent
trudge
true
truffle
truism
trull