adj

feral

FEH-ruhl

adj

Wild and untamed, especially describing an animal that has escaped domestication and now lives in the wild.

"A colony of feral cats lives behind the old warehouse."

Out of control, wild, or unruly, said of a person or behavior.

"The kids went feral the moment school let out for summer."

How to Use Feral

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWild — either an animal that has reverted from domestic life, or a person behaving in an unrestrained, uncivilized way.

Common pairings

feral cats go feral feral hogs

more feral comparative, more feral comparative, ferals plural, most feral superlative, most feral superlative

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A colony of _____ cats lives behind the old warehouse.

From Latin ferus ("wild, savage") plus the adjective suffix "-al."

general liberal funeral lateral mineral federal several visceral ephemeral bilateral collateral unilateral