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

• feˈrociously, adverb
• ferocity, noun

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

The four different creatures molds have ferocious detailed faces, foot handles, and reusable sticks.

From Popular-Science

After two largely one-sided games to open the NBA Finals, Jimmy Butler and Miami found their sea legs on Sunday night with a ferocious series of late-game drives and free throws to pull the Heat within a game of the Lakers.

From FiveThirtyEight

This CucinaPro waffler will brighten up any kid’s morning with its fun and ferocious animal shapes of cats, tigers, bear, dogs, and deer.

From Popular-Science

This icy shield insulates the subsurface ocean from the extreme cold and vacuum of space, as well as Jupiter’s ferocious radiation belts.

From Singularity Hub 

Though the storm isn’t as ferocious in terms of wind speed, it’s moving slowly.

From Popular-Science

The man behind the desk is a fictional character—a ferocious patriot exposing the limits of rigid ideology.

From The Daily Beast

But among ferocious ideologues, similar roots are no guarantee of mutual sympathy when schisms occur.

From The Daily Beast

So, only when you have spiraling matter down do you get these ferocious, black hole jets.

From The Daily Beast

Instead they operated out of a vast network of tunnels, and the combat was as ferocious as any the IDF has seen for many years.

From The Daily Beast

I saw a faint, sweet glimmer of the ferocious protector he once was.

From The Daily Beast

It is a vile world because it is an under-educated world, unreasonable, suspicious, base and ferocious.

From Project Gutenberg

The shorter native had his hair collected into a knob at the top of his head, which gave him a ferocious appearance.

From Project Gutenberg

He has not been shaved very recently, but he doesnt look at all ferocious notwithstanding.

From Project Gutenberg

The most ferocious and arrogant Mindanao tribes occupy regions within easy access of the coast.

From Project Gutenberg

When about eight years old, in a paroxysm of ferocious hate, she pushed her brother Charles into the Bievre, where he was drowned.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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