ferus

== Latin == === Etymology === Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₁r- or *ǵʰwē̆r- (“wild animal”). The intermediate steps are uncertain: Possibly from Proto-Italic *xʷeros, from earlier *ǵʰweh₁rós, with PIE *-ē- becoming Proto-Italic *-e- because of a shortening of PIE unaccented long vowels before a resonant (a version of a sound change called "Dybo's Law"). This change is also supposed to explain the short vowel in vir. In contrast to vir (from *wiros), this term retained the final -rus, possibly due to analogical influence from the form fera. Alternatively, Sihler considers the adjective a back-formation from the feminine noun fera (“wild animal, wild beast”), and treats it as possible that Latin continues an original short e-grade of the PIE root. === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈfɛ.rʊs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈfɛː.rus] === Adjective === ferus (feminine fera, neuter ferum); first/second-declension adjective wild, savage, fierce, cruel Synonyms: trux, ferōx, atrōx, violēns, immānis, efferus, crūdēlis, silvāticus, ācer, acerbus, sevērus Antonyms: mītis, tranquillus, misericors, placidus, quietus, clemens uncivilized, uncultivated Synonym: barbaricus untamed, rough ==== Declension ==== First/second-declension adjective. ==== Derived terms ==== efferus ==== Related terms ==== ferōx ==== Descendants ==== === Noun === ferus m (genitive ferī); second declension wild animal ==== Declension ==== Second-declension noun. ==== Related terms ==== === References ===