tigerish

[ tahy-ger-ish ]

adjective

1. tigerlike, as in strength, fierceness, courage, or coloration.
2. fiercely cruel; bloodthirsty; relentless.

Other Words From

• tiger·ish·ly adverb
• tiger·ish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tigerish¹

First recorded in 1565–75; tiger + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

Dundee's tigerish midfield appeared to have too much energy for their Rangers counterparts and, although Rangers gradually dominated the possession, it was laboured and lacking the creativity required to break down a well-organised home defence.

From BBC

Ms. Graves “was a tigerish ‘Choleric,’” Jennifer Dunning wrote in a 1987 review in The Times, “with those long, powerful arms of hers coming into play in the ballet’s final moments.”

From New York Times

As is almost always the case with a Speak to the Manager, the cut was accentuated by deliberately obvious highlights, striping tigerishly up toward the crisp bristle atop the head.

From New York Times

Fitted with jam-jar spectacles off the pitch, and thick contact lenses on it, Stiles' eye for a tigerish tackle instantly improved.

From BBC

That said, no man can resist her dark, magnetic eyes while her impulsive, passionate nature sometimes seems tigerish.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• angry
• bold
• brutal
• cutthroat
• dangerous
• ferocious
• fiery
• furious
• intense
• murderous
• passionate
• powerful
• raging
• relentless
• savage
• stormy
• strong
• terrible
• vehement
• vicious