berserk

[ ber-surk, -zurk ]
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adjective
  1. violently or destructively frenzied; wild; crazed; deranged: He suddenly went berserk.

noun
  1. (sometimes initial capital letter)Scandinavian Legend.Also ber·serk·er. an ancient Norse warrior who fought with frenzied rage in battle, possibly induced by eating hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Origin of berserk

1
1865–70; <Old Norse berserkr, equivalent to ber- (either *ber-, base of bjǫrnbear2 or berrbare1) + serkrsark, shirt, armor

Other words for berserk

Opposites for berserk

Other words from berserk

  • ber·serk·ly, adverb
  • ber·serk·ness, noun

Words Nearby berserk

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How to use berserk in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for berserk

berserk

/ (bəˈzɜːk, -ˈsɜːk) /


adjective
  1. frenziedly violent or destructive (esp in the phrase go berserk)

noun
  1. Also called: berserker a member of a class of ancient Norse warriors who worked themselves into a frenzy before battle and fought with insane fury and courage

Origin of berserk

1
C19: Icelandic berserkr, from björn bear + serkr shirt

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012