berserk
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /bəˈzɜːk/
ipa: /bɜː-/
ipa: /-ˈsɜːk/
ipa: /bɚˈsɚk/
ipa: /-ˈzɚk/
note: General American, r-dissimilation
ipa: /bəˈsɚk/
note: General American, r-dissimilation
ipa: /-ˈzɚk/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k
Forms: form: more berserk
form: most berserk
Etymology: The noun is borrowed from Old Norse berserkr (“Norse warrior who fights in a frenzy”), probably from bjǫrn (“bear”) + serkr (“coat; shirt”), referring to the bearskins which the warriors wore. Bjǫrn is possibly ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”); and serkr from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to bind, tie together; thread”). Alternatively, it has been suggested that the first element of the word is from berr (“bare, naked”), referring to warriors who went into battle without armour, but this is now thought unlikely. Doublet of berserker.
The adjective is derived from the noun.
The verb might partly be a back-formation from berserker, analyzed as containing the suffix -er.
Cognates
* Icelandic berserkur
* Norwegian Bokmål berserk
* Norwegian Nynorsk berserk
* Swedish bärsärk
Senses: examples: text: After seeing his sister stabbed to death, he went berserk and attacked the killer like a wild animal.
text: 'You went Berserk. I've read all about it in Hypatia.' […] 'You've gone Berserk and pretty soon you'll go to sleep. But you'll probably be liable to fits of it all your life,' Beetle concluded.
ref: 1908 (date written), Rudyard Kipling, “Regulus”, in A Diversity of Creatures, London: Macmillan and Co., […], published 1917, →OCLC, page 264:
glosses: Furiously, injuriously, or maniacally violent or out of control.
examples: text: [T]he writer conjured up a dystopian fantasy more berserk than anything you might find yourself listening to in the small hours at the Stone Circle.
ref: 2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Mar 2022:
glosses: Bizarre; weird.
examples: text: In amongst the strife, Scott McTominay, whose stoppage-time winner against Israel sent Hampden berserk, and Ryan Christie offered signs of an attacking pulse.
ref: 2021 October 12, Jamie Lyall, “Faroe Islands 0 – 1 Scotland”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 24 Jul 2022:
synonyms: word: berserk
word: blissed out
word: blithe
word: buoyant
word: blithesome
word: bonnie
word: bright
word: cheerful
word: cheerly
word: cheery
word: chuffed
word: cock-a-hoop
word: content
word: contented
word: convivial
word: delighted
word: ebullient
word: ecstatic
word: elated
word: euphoric
word: excited
word: exhilarated
word: exuberant
word: exultant
word: fat and happy
word: gassed
word: gay
word: gayful
word: glad
word: gladsome
word: gleeful
word: gleesome
word: happy
word: hearty
word: high on life
word: jovial
word: joyful
word: merry
word: merry as a cricket
word: merry as a grig
word: mirthsome
word: on cloud nine
word: overjoyed
word: overjoyous
word: over the moon
word: pacific
word: perky
word: placated
word: pleased
word: satisfied
word: thrilled
word: tickled pink
word: triumphant
word: vivacious
word: wealful
word: happy as a clam
word: happy as a clam at high water
word: happy as a lark
word: happy as a pig in mud
word: happy as a pig in shit
word: happy as a prince
word: happy as Larry
word: happy as the day is long
glosses: Wildly joyous; ecstatic.
Derived terms: Berserkeley
berserk llama syndrome
berserkly
berserkness
berserko
go berserk
Related terms: amok