feral

¹ American  

[feer-uhl, fer-] / ˈfɪər əl, ˈfɛr- /

adjective

1. causing death; fatal.

2. funereal; gloomy.

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feral ² American  

[feer-uhl, fer-] / ˈfɪər əl, ˈfɛr- /

adjective

1. existing in a natural state, as animals or plants; not domesticated or cultivated; wild.

2. having reverted to the wild state, as from domestication.

   a pack of feral dogs roaming the woods.

3. of or characteristic of wild animals; ferocious; brutal.

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feral ¹ British  

/ ˈfɛr-, ˈfɪərəl /

adjective

1. Also: ferine.  (of animals and plants) existing in a wild or uncultivated state, esp after being domestic or cultivated

2. Also: ferine.  savage; brutal

3. derogatory (of a person) tending to be interested in environmental issues and having a rugged, unkempt appearance

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noun

1. derogatory a person who displays such tendencies and appearance

2. slang disgusting

3. slang excellent

feral ² British  

/ ˈfɛr-, ˈfɪərəl /

adjective

1. astrology associated with death

2. gloomy; funereal

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feral Scientific  

/ fîr′əl,fĕr′- /

1. Existing in a wild or untamed state, either naturally or having returned to such a state from domestication.

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Etymology

Origin of feral¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin fērālis “of the dead, funerary, fatal”

Origin of feral¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin ferālis “bestial, wild,” from Latin fer(a) “wild beast” + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

For example, non-native feral hogs are now major predators of loggerhead sea turtle eggs along the Georgia coast, USA, while coyotes in eastern North America are expanding onto coastal barrier islands, altering those ecosystems.

From Science Daily

Brat Summer still lives on in its feral children.

From Los Angeles Times

Mitigating, James Scobie KC said his client had been brought up with very little education and had lived "a pretty feral existence from a young age in which fast cars were very much his life".

From BBC

Arnold said none of her other cats has shown the same interest in the Roomba, though a feral orange cat named Garfield that joined the family last year is expressing some curiosity.

From The Wall Street Journal

I was immediately besotted by the band’s hookiness, the way their songs felt both precise and slightly feral.

From Salon

Related Words

• ferocious