ferocious

[fuh-roh-shuh s]

See more synonyms for ferocious on Thesaurus.com

adjective

savagely fierce, as a wild beast, person, action, or aspect; violently cruel: a ferocious beating.
extreme or intense: a ferocious thirst.

Origin of ferocious

1640–50; < Latin ferōc-, stem of ferōx savage, fierce (fer(us) wild (see feral¹, fierce) + -ōx having such an appearance; akin to -opsis) + -ious

Related formsfe·ro·cious·ly, adverbfe·ro·cious·ness, nounnon·fe·ro·cious, adjectivenon·fe·ro·cious·ly, adverbnon·fe·ro·cious·ness, nounun·fe·ro·cious, adjectiveun·fe·ro·cious·ly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for ferocious on Thesaurus.com

1. rapacious. See fierce.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ferociously

Contemporary Examples

She appeared at his side, impish smile in place, dutiful, fragrantly rather than ferociously sexy, and—frustratingly—an adjunct.
How Can Katie Holmes Escape Tom Cruise—and ‘Dawson’s Creek’?
Tim Teeman
October 30, 2014
We know that, mercifully, democratization scourged us only once in ferociously modern style: during the Civil War.
The Real Nightmare of Ferguson
James Poulos
August 15, 2014
He was always affable but ultimately unknowable; intellectually incurious but ferociously ambitious.
The Messy, Sordid Story of Jim Greer, Charlie Crist’s Man to a Fault
Rick Wilson
June 29, 2014
“The U.K. journalism world, in particular print journalism, is ferociously competitive,” he says.
A Well-Spoken Invasion:The Brits Taking Over American Media
Lloyd Grove
May 8, 2014
But keep an eye over the weekend on how ferociously the media wingnuts start whipping this vote.
The Odds of War in Syria? A Lot Higher Now
Michael Tomasky
August 31, 2013

Historical Examples

In the meantime, the wounded beast was snapping and snarling most ferociously.
The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island
Edward Stratemeyer
It was the terrier who had ferociously attacked the lion, and the lion was charmed.
Memoirs
Charles Godfrey Leland
Society punished it ferociously and justly, in self-defence.
The Education of Henry Adams
Henry Adams
Adam spun on him ferociously, raising a heavy hand in threat.
Rebels of the Red Planet
Charles Louis Fontenay
They came at us ferociously, and nearly broke through our line.
The Cryptogram
William Murray Graydon

British Dictionary definitions for ferociously

ferocious

adjective

savagely fierce or cruela ferocious tiger; a ferocious argument

Derived Formsferociously, adverbferocity (fəˈrɒsɪtɪ) or ferociousness, noun

Word Origin

C17: from Latin ferox fierce, untamable, warlike

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

Word Origin and History for ferociously

ferocious

adj.

1640s, from Latin ferocis, oblique case of ferox "fierce, wild-looking" (see ferocity). Related: Ferociously; ferociousness.

ferocious

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}ferocious

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for ferociously

Contemporary Examples

She appeared at his side, impish smile in place, dutiful, fragrantly rather than ferociously sexy, and—frustratingly—an adjunct.

We know that, mercifully, democratization scourged us only once in ferociously modern style: during the Civil War.

He was always affable but ultimately unknowable; intellectually incurious but ferociously ambitious.

“The U.K. journalism world, in particular print journalism, is ferociously competitive,” he says.

But keep an eye over the weekend on how ferociously the media wingnuts start whipping this vote.

Historical Examples

In the meantime, the wounded beast was snapping and snarling most ferociously.

It was the terrier who had ferociously attacked the lion, and the lion was charmed.

Society punished it ferociously and justly, in self-defence.

Adam spun on him ferociously, raising a heavy hand in threat.

They came at us ferociously, and nearly broke through our line.

ferocious

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for ferociously

ferocious

adj.

Origin of ferocious