feral

¹ 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 ² American  

[feer-uhl, fer-] / ˈfɪər əl, ˈfɛr- /

adjective

1. causing death; fatal.

2. funereal; gloomy.

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

Origin of feral²

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

Explanation

When animal control finds a feral dog, they have to handle it very carefully because the animal is so wild that it's probably afraid of humans and likely to bite. Feral is often used to describe a wild, untamed animal, like the feral cat with its claws and sharp teeth menacingly bared, ready to strike. Qualities that are similar to a wild animal can also be called feral. The child who grew alone up in a cabin in the woods, and who didn't go to school, was called feral when she ran away from the orphanage.

Example Sentences

Things would soon get positively feral as Karol’s backing rock band, composed entirely of women, shredded through the outro of the song “TQG,” giving it a heavy metal edge.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Cats, domestic and feral, together take another billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

His first presidential campaign in 2016 was marked by a feral but highly developed gut instinct for what the public wanted, or at least what it thought it wanted.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Researchers say Scotland needs to take a new approach to managing its "expanding" populations of feral pigs.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

He was hungry, and his meager diet had pared his body down to a feral scrawn of gristle and bone, but he seemed to be in reasonably good health.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• ferocious