feral

What does “feral” mean?

adjective.in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication.

SAT Usage

this term is often found in passages related to nature, wildlife, or discussions of domestication and human interaction with animals. It emphasizes a return to a primal state, suggesting untamed behavior or instincts that contrast with domesticated or civilized traits, which distinguishes it from similar words like "wild," that may lack the connotation of a reversion from a once-tamed state.

Common Confusions

Feral implies a return to a wild state after being domesticated, while wild usually suggests an untamed state without the connotation of having been tamed previously.

Example Sentences

• The feral cats avoided any contact with humans.

• The feral cat had never been domesticated and avoided humans.