Ferocity
/fəˈrɒs.ɪ.ti/noun
The state or quality of being ferocious; savagery.
Did you know?The Latin root 'ferox' means 'wild' or 'fierce', and it was often used to describe untamed animals in ancient texts, linking ferocity to primal instincts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to carry; to bear, to bring”
Latin
Latin
ferox
“wild; fierce, untamed, savage”
Old French
Old French
ferocité
“savagery; fierceness, cruelty”
Middle English
Middle English
ferocite
“savagery; fierceness, brutality”
Modern English
English
ferocity
“the quality of being ferocious, often evoking images of wildness and brutality.”