ferocious — extremely aggressive, violent, or fierce
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: extremely aggressive, violent, or fierce
Pronunciation (IPA): /fəˈroʊʃəs/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother becomes ferocious when someone tries to skip the line at the grocery store.
- The ferocious winds knocked down several trees during the hurricane.
- He showed a ferocious determination to finish the marathon despite his injury.
ferocious
ADJECTIVE[/fəˈroʊʃəs/]
extremely aggressive, violent, or fierce

The ferocious tiger lunges from the tall grass, scattering deer in panic.

A precocious child faces a ferocious tiger in an atrocious standoff!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Ferocious derives from Latin ferox, meaning "wild" or "fierce." The Romans used this term to describe the savage nature of wild animals, particularly the dangerous beasts encountered in arenas and warfare. The word has remained in English through Romance language evolution, maintaining its original sense of untamed ferocity.
Breakdown
ferox (wild, fierce) + -ous (adjective suffix forming descriptive adjectives).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother becomes ferocious when someone tries to skip the line at the grocery store.”
“The ferocious winds knocked down several trees during the hurricane.”
“He showed a ferocious determination to finish the marathon despite his injury.”
“The chef's ferocious cooking style scared away three assistants in one week.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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