visceral

[vis-er-uhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the viscera.

2. affecting the viscera.

3. of the nature of or resembling viscera.

4. characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect.

   a visceral reaction.

5. characterized by or dealing with coarse or base emotions; earthy; crude.

   a visceral literary style.

visceral

/ ˈvɪsərəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or affecting the viscera

2. characterized by intuition or instinct rather than intellect

Other Word Forms

• viscerally adverb
• nonvisceral adjective
• unvisceral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of visceral¹

First recorded in 1565–75; from Medieval Latin viscerālis, equivalent to viscer(a) ( viscera ) + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

In cinematic detail, the author limns the visceral intensity of a world gone mad.

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Yet he never lost a visceral tenderness for the suffering poor, and he wrote of them with more sympathy and human understanding than any Victorian author after Dickens.

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The reaction from parts of the right on X was swift and visceral.

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Sánchez soon discovered that he and Cooper shared a visceral disgust of corruption.

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The tattoo, though, feels like it has that visceral impact that will likely crowd out other concerns.

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Related Words

• ingrained 
• innate 
• intuitive