ferocious

  • 1Ferocious — Fe*ro cious, a. [L. ferox, ocis, fierce: cf. F. f[ e]roce. See {Ferocity}.] Fierce; savage; wild; indicating cruelty; ravenous; rapacious; as, ferocious look or features; a ferocious lion. [1913 Webster] The humbled power of a ferocious enemy.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2ferocious — [fə rō′shəs] adj. [< L ferox (gen. ferocis), wild, untamed < ferus, FIERCE + base akin to oculus, EYE + OUS] 1. fierce; savage; violently cruel 2. Informal very great [a ferocious appetite] ferociously adv. ferociousness …

    English World dictionary

  • 3ferocious — index brutal, cruel, harsh, malevolent, malicious, malignant, outrageous, ruthless, vicious …

    Law dictionary

  • 4ferocious — (adj.) 1640s, from L. ferocis, oblique case of ferox fierce, wild looking (see FEROCITY (Cf. ferocity)). Related: Ferociously; ferociousness …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5ferocious — *fierce, truculent, barbarous, savage, inhuman, cruel, fell Analogous words: infuriated, maddened, enraged (see ANGER vb): rapacious, *voracious, ravening, ravenous: relentless, implacable, merciless, *grim Contrasted words: *tame, subdued,… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6ferocious — [adj] violent, barbaric barbarous, bloodthirsty, brutal, brutish, cruel, fell, feral, fierce, frightful, grim, implacable, inhuman, inhumane, lupine, merciless, murderous, pitiless, predatory, rapacious, ravening, ravenous, relentless, ruthless,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 7ferocious — ► ADJECTIVE 1) savagely fierce, cruel, or violent. 2) informal very great; extreme. DERIVATIVES ferociously adverb ferociousness noun ferocity noun. ORIGIN from Latin ferox fierce …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8ferocious — [[t]fəro͟ʊʃəs[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED A ferocious animal, person, or action is very fierce and violent. By its very nature a lion is ferocious... The police had had to deal with some of the most ferocious violence ever seen on the streets of London.… …

    English dictionary

  • 9ferocious — fe|ro|cious [fəˈrəuʃəs US ˈrou ] adj [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: ferox wild looking , from ferus wild ] 1.) violent, dangerous, and frightening ▪ a ferocious, hungry lion ▪ a ferocious battle ▪ The storm grew more and more ferocious with… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10ferocious — adjective 1 violent, dangerous, and frightening: The battle was long and ferocious. | ferocious dogs 2 very strong, severe, and unpleasant: a ferocious headache | The heat was ferocious. ferociously adverb ferociousness noun (U) …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English