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Webster 1913 Edition

Ferocious

Fe-ro′cious

,
Adj.
[L.
ferox
,
-ocis
, fierce: cf. F.
féroce
. See
Ferocity
.]
Fierce; savage; wild; indicating cruelty; ravenous; rapacious;
as,
ferocious
look or features; a
ferocious
lion.
–
Fe-ro′cious-ly
,
adv.
–
Fe-ro′cious-ness
,
Noun.
It [Christianity] has adapted the
ferociousness
of war.
Blair.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ferocious

FERO'CIOUS

,
Adj.
[L. ferox; allied to ferus, wild, fera, a wild animal.]
1.
Fierce; savage; wild; indicating cruelty; as a ferocious look, countenance or features.
2.
Ravenous; rapacious; as a ferocious lion.
3.
Fierce; barbarous; cruel; as ferocious savages.

Definition 2024

ferocious

ferocious

English

Adjective

ferocious ‎(comparative more ferocious, superlative most ferocious)

  1. Marked by extreme and violent energy.
    • 2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:
      Scotland needed a victory by eight points to have a realistic chance of progressing to the knock-out stages, and for long periods of a ferocious contest looked as if they might pull it off.
  2. Extreme or intense.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Etymology

From Latin ferox ‎(“wild, bold, savage, fierce”), from ferus ‎(“wild, savage, fierce”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fəˈɹəʊʃəs/
  • Rhymes: -əʊʃəs

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