visceral
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the viscera.
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affecting the viscera.
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of the nature of or resembling viscera.
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characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect.
a visceral reaction.
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characterized by or dealing with coarse or base emotions; earthy; crude.
a visceral literary style.
adjective
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of, relating to, or affecting the viscera
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characterized by intuition or instinct rather than intellect
Other Word Forms
- nonvisceral adjective
- unvisceral adjective
- viscerally adverb
Etymology
Origin of visceral
First recorded in 1565–75; from Medieval Latin viscerālis, equivalent to viscer(a) ( viscera ) + -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Gravity” reduces the experience of being lost in space to visceral things like breath and movement and the simple act of staying oriented.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
In addition, people differ significantly in visceral sensitivity, meaning two individuals may produce similar amounts of flatus yet perceive it very differently.
From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026
It’s everything that great art can and should be: visceral, inspiring and unforgettable.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
Actress Rose Byrne gives a visceral portrayal of a burnt out mother who feels alone in her struggle to meet the needs of her daughter and hold up the scaffolding of family life.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
Kutuzov defeated Napoleon precisely because he was not swayed by the ephemeral and superficial values of the court, and made his decisions on a visceral understanding of his men and his people.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
