feral
1 Americanadjective
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existing in a natural state, as animals or plants; not domesticated or cultivated; wild.
-
having reverted to the wild state, as from domestication.
a pack of feral dogs roaming the woods.
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of or characteristic of wild animals; ferocious; brutal.
adjective
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causing death; fatal.
-
funereal; gloomy.
adjective
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Also: ferine. (of animals and plants) existing in a wild or uncultivated state, esp after being domestic or cultivated
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Also: ferine. savage; brutal
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derogatory (of a person) tending to be interested in environmental issues and having a rugged, unkempt appearance
noun
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derogatory a person who displays such tendencies and appearance
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slang disgusting
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slang excellent
adjective
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astrology associated with death
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gloomy; funereal
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.
Vocabulary lists containing feral
100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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The Blood of Olympus
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The Marrow Thieves
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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.
It was discovered by wildlife officers out eradicating feral pests.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
Instead, they come from a naturally mixed population in Southern California, often originating from feral colonies living in trees.
From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026
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
From this spot she could also still make sure no feral beasts were about to rip into the crowd.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
