3 syllables: fe, ro, cious. Stress on ro.
fur-OH-shuhs
/fɚˈoʊʃəs/
ferocious is pronounced fur-OH-shuhs (/fɚˈoʊʃəs/). It has three syllables (fe-ro-cious), with the stress on "ro". Ferocious means extremely fierce, intense, or violent in action or character. It describes something that shows brutal energy or savagery, often in a way that inspires both respect and fear. The term can apply to animals, storms, or temperament, and implies a sharp, uncompromising force.
Ferocious means extremely fierce, intense, or violent in action or character. It describes something that shows brutal energy or savagery, often in a way that inspires both respect and fear. The term can apply to animals, storms, or temperament, and implies a sharp, uncompromising force.
"The lion gave a ferocious roar that startled the herd."
"She defended her thesis with ferocious tenacity and precision."
"The storm unleashed ferocious winds that toppled trees."
Pronounce as /fɪˈroʊʃəs/ in US and /fəˈrəʊʃəs/ in UK/AU. The primary stress is on the second syllable: fe-RO-cious. Start with a short, relaxed 'fi' or 'fe' sound, then a strong 'ro' with the long 'o' as in 'go,' ending with a short 'shəs' for -cious. Listen to native samples for exact rhythm.
Common errors include misplacing stress (e.g., fe-RO-cious vs FE-ro- cious) and mispronouncing the -cious ending as -shus or -sheus. Another frequent issue is blending the second and third syllables too quickly, making it sound like 'fer-o-us' or 'fi-ROH-sus.' Correct by practicing the second syllable with a clear, longer 'oh' vowel and finishing with a crisp 'shəs'.
In US English, you’ll hear /fɪˈroʊʃəs/ with a lax first vowel and pronounced 'RO' syllable. UK/AU typically use /fəˈrəʊʃəs/ with a more centered first syllable and a longer 'o' as in ‘go’. Rhoticity affects the presence of r in American accents; non-rhotic UK English may reduce rhotic coloring in certain positions, though the stressed syllable retains /ɹ/ quality in most educated speech. Overall, vowel length and rhoticity vary.
The difficulty mainly lies in the two-part vowel sequence and the final -cious cluster: the /roʊ/ diphthong followed by /ʃəs/. Balancing the consonant cluster while maintaining crisp /ʃ/ and precise vowel durations requires careful placement of the tongue tip and tongue blade, plus controlled breath for the final syllable. Also, local variants shift vowel qualities slightly, so consistency across accents becomes a challenge.
A distinctive feature is the stress timing on the middle syllable -RO-, which can affect intonation in surrounding clauses. You'll notice a slight rise in pitch on the stressed syllable in careful speech, followed by a quick, clipped ending -shəs. Paying attention to the long /oʊ/ diphthong and the syllable boundary before -cious helps maintain natural rhythm.
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Ferocious comes from the Latin ferox, meaning “fierce, bold, wild,” from ferus, meaning “wild, untamed.” The suffix -ous forms adjectives indicating “full of” or “having the nature of.” In early English, ferox appeared in descriptions of wild beasts and fierce acts; by the 15th–16th centuries it broadened to describe intense emotions and appearances. The word evolved through Old French as furieux and Italian feroce, feeding into English as ferocious. Through centuries, the sense shifted from raw natural ferocity to intensified, sometimes even theatrical, intensity (as in ferocious debate). The modern sense centers on extreme force, aggression, or severity, often with a charge of danger. First known use in English documents appears in the late medieval period, with accumulated usage across literature, journalism, and academic prose, preserving the core meaning while expanding to metaphorical domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ferocious" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "ferocious"
-ous sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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