ferox

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *ferōks, from earlier *xʷerōks, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweroh₃kʷs (“having the appearance of a wild animal”), from *ǵʰwero- (early Proto-Italic *xʷeros, suffixed form *ǵʰwer- (“wild animal”)) + *h₃ekʷ- (“eye; to see”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈfe.roːks/, [ˈfɛroːks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfe.roks/, [ˈfɛːroks]

Adjective

ferōx (genitive ferōcis, superlative ferōcissimus, adverb ferōciter); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. wild, bold, fierce

   Synonyms: trux, atrōx, immānis, efferus, ferus, violēns, crūdēlis, barbaricus, silvāticus, ācer

   Antonyms: misericors, mītis, tranquillus, placidus, quietus, clemens

2. defiant, arrogant

   Synonyms: superbus, īnsolēns, arrogāns, impudēns

   Antonym: pudēns

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	ferōx			ferōcēs	ferōcia
Genitive	ferōcis			ferōcium
Dative	ferōcī			ferōcibus
Accusative	ferōcem	ferōx		ferōcēs	ferōcia
Ablative	ferōcī			ferōcibus
Vocative	ferōx			ferōcēs	ferōcia

Related terms

• ferōcia
• ferōciō
• ferōcitās
• ferōciter
• ferōculus

Descendants

• Catalan: feroç
• ⇒ English: ferocious
• French: féroce
• Galician: feroz
• Italian: feroce
• Occitan: feròç
• Portuguese: feroz
• Romanian: feroce
• Spanish: feroz

References

• “ferox”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ferox”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ferox in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.