ferocity

[ fuh-ros-i-tee ]

noun

1. a ferocious quality or state; savage fierceness.

Other Words From

• nonfe·roci·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferocity¹

1600–10; < Latin ferōcitās, equivalent to ferōc-, stem of ferōx ferocious + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

The nearest we saw to ferocity was his demand to "not lose the ball" seconds before intervening to tell Evans they had lost possession and needed to regain their position.

From BBC

Trump’s selections for his Cabinet are distinguished both by their personal loyalty to him as well as ferocity in pursuing his personal and political “enemies.”

From Salon

Attending the Church’s national assembly, its General Synod, is eye-opening in the ferocity of debate over issues across the board, often reflecting the polarisation in modern Britain on many issues.

From BBC

Then the game happened - and it did not play out with the ferocity and enterprising rugby with which this fixture has become synonymous in recent years.

From BBC

Her Berniece is a complicated mixture of ferocity, warmth and deep-rooted pain, all anchored in her family’s past.

From Los Angeles Times