ferocious

[ fuh-roh-shuhs ]

adjective

1. savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel:

   a ferocious beating.

   Synonyms: rapacious

2. extreme or intense:

   a ferocious thirst.

ferocious

/ fəˈrɒsɪtɪ; fəˈrəʊʃəs /

adjective

1. savagely fierce or cruel

   a ferocious argument

   a ferocious tiger

Derived Forms

• ferocity, noun
• feˈrociously, adverb

Other Words From

• fe·rocious·ly adverb
• fe·rocious·ness noun
• nonfe·rocious adjective
• nonfe·rocious·ly adverb
• nonfe·rocious·ness noun
• unfe·rocious adjective
• unfe·rocious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferocious¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin ferōc-, stem of ferōx “savage, fierce” ( fer(us) “wild” ( feral ¹, fierce ) + -ōx “having such an appearance”; akin to eye ( def ), oculus ( def ), -opsis ) + -ious

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferocious¹

C17: from Latin ferox fierce, untamable, warlike

Synonym Study

See fierce.

Example Sentences

And then came “Titanic,” which forever proved the ferocious consumer power of young female fans.

From Los Angeles Times

He came to take stock of the damage wrought by 70 days of ferocious Israeli bombardment.

From Los Angeles Times

A highlight sequence came shortly after when Johnson snagged a steal and threw an outlet pass to Dylan Andrews, who found a trailing Dailey with a bounce pass for a ferocious one-handed dunk.

From Los Angeles Times

His albums take a long time to absorb, but this one also hits with ferocious immediacy.

From Los Angeles Times

But the ferocious winds that followed the blaze ripped through the area and tore more than half of the remaining avocados off the trees, scattering them across his 2-acre farm.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• brutal
• brutish
• cruel
• fierce
• frightful
• merciless
• murderous
• ravenous
• relentless
• ruthless
• savage
• vehement
• vicious
• voracious