berserk
OTHER WORDS FOR berserk
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Common Words That Originated From The Animal Kingdom
Did you know that the word "muscle" is derived from the Latin word for “mouse?” And this isn't the only word in the English language that is unexpectedly inspired by animals.
Origin of berserk
OTHER WORDS FROM berserk
ber·serk·ly, adverbber·serk·ness, nounWords nearby berserk
MORE ABOUT BERSERK
What does berserk mean?
Berserk describes violent, destructive, or deranged behavior.
Berserk frequently describes someone who is acting wild, crazy, or deranged. It is commonly used with forms of the verb go, as in go berserk or went berserk, meaning someone suddenly erupted into a frenzy of angry or violent behavior.
In Norse and Germanic folklore, a berserk (or berserker) is a warrior who worships the Norse god Odin, fighting savagely and without control, possibly from eating hallucinogenic mushrooms. They were said to wear shirts made of bearskin (see “Where does berserk come from?” below) and were often the villains in Norse sagas. Today, this sense is used figuratively to define any person who is prone to acting out angrily, especially without cause.
Example: I told him that his music wasn’t even that great, and he went berserk.
Where does berserk come from?
The first records of the term berserk come from the mid-1800s. It comes from the Icelandic term berserk, which combines björn, meaning “bear,” and serkr, meaning “shirt.” The berserking warriors of legend are typically depicted as wearing bearskin armor.
Berserk is a common theme in violent fiction. The 1987 horror film “Berserker” is about the legend appearing in modern times, and the Japanese manga series Berserk features a character known for his wild, frenzied fighting style. The term berserk is also often used to describe fighters in TV, film, and professional wrestling.
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How is berserk used in real life?
Berserk is usually used critically or as an insult, almost always commenting on another person’s or an animal’s behavior.
Filming starts gently tomorrow. Then it goes berserk. See you all in Terminal 5.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) February 10, 2016
Kick your shoes off, let your hair down, go berserk… ALL NIGHT LONG.
— Ian Eastwood (@Ian_Eastwood) November 8, 2013
Berserk llama syndrome is a real condition where a llama believes its human owner is also a llama, causing the animal to become aggressive.
— UberFacts (@UberFacts) May 7, 2016
Try using berserk!
Is berserk used correctly in the following sentence?
Wendell went berserk, calmly walking across the field and into the woods.