berserk

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berserk

/ˈbɜːsɜːk/ UK
/ˈbɚˌsɚk/ US
/ˈbəˌsɚk/ US
/bəˈzɜːk/ UK
/bɜː-/ UK
/-ˈsɜːk/ UK
/bɚˈsɚk/ US
/-ˈzɚk/ US
/bəˈsɚk/
/-ˈzɚk/

Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)k

Where it comes from

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

* Danish bersærk

* Icelandic berserkur

* Norwegian Bokmål berserk

* Norwegian Nynorsk berserk

* Swedish bärsärk

noun berserks · beserk · berzerk

historical Synonym of berserker (“a Norse warrior who fought in a frenzy”). She had heard of his profligacy, his bursts of fierce Berserk-madness; and yet now these very faults, instead of repelling, seemed to attract her, and intensify her longing to save him.

adjective more berserk · most berserk

Furiously, injuriously, or maniacally violent or out of control. After seeing his sister stabbed to death, he went berserk and attacked the killer like a wild animal.
broadly Bizarre; weird. [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.
broadly, dialectal, rare, slang Wildly joyous; ecstatic. In amongst the strife, Scott McTominay, whose stoppage-time winner against Israel sent Hampden berserk, and Ryan Christie offered signs of an attacking pulse.

verb berserks · berserking · berserked

intransitive To be or become berserk. When great champions went berserking and were angry, they lost their human nature and went mad like dogs.
transitive To make berserk. He neither knows himself nor his outriders; he berserks a fearful dimension and dismounts, miraculously, in bed!

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