berserk

1 of 2

noun

ber·​serk bər-ˈsərk 

bə-,

ˌbər-,

-ˈzərk 

ˈbər-ˌsərk,

-ˌzərk

variants or berserker

bər-ˈsər-kər 

bə-,

ˌbər-,

-ˈzər-;

ˈbər-ˌsər-,

-ˌzər-

1

: an ancient Scandinavian warrior frenzied in battle and held to be invulnerable

2

: one whose actions are recklessly defiant

berserk

2 of 2

adjective

: markedly out of control due to intense anger or excitement : frenzied

In this regular season, the 49ers won in Seattle, but lost to the Seahawks at Levi's [Stadium], which was packed with berserk fans.

—Scott Ostler

berserk adverb

The kids run berserk through the water slides and splash stations …

—Toby Rose

berserkly adverb

Still, after watching the berserkly funny documentary Starz Inside: Zombiemania, I've concluded I didn't know the half of it.

—Glenn Garvin

see also go berserk

Did you know?

Combine a bear with a shirt and what do you get? A cuddly, honey-loving, ursine pal, perhaps. Combine the words bear and shirt however, at least in Old Norse, and you get something quite different. Our English word berserk comes from the Old Norse noun berserkr, which is likely a combination of ber- (“bear”) and serkr (“shirt”). According to Norse legend, berserkers were not ones to say “Oh bother” when faced with sticky situations—they were warriors who wore bearskin coverings and worked themselves into such frenzies during combat that they became immune to the effects of steel and fire. Berserk was borrowed into English (first as a noun referring to such a warrior) in the 19th century, when interest in Scandinavian myth and history was high. It was considered a slang term at first, but it has since gained broader use.

Examples of berserk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There’s no evidence to suggest that the bear went berserk after overdosing, as the trailer, which went viral in December, shows. —Michael O'Sullivan, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Feb. 2023

The word berserk exists in our dictionaries thanks to the Norse tales of these superhuman warriors. —Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2022

Adjective

Which, of course, drove the audience completely berserk. —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023

The bounce is outrageous, the handclaps are berserk, and Myaap is as restless as ever, even rapping through the soaring chorus when most would just use it as a breather. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Old Norse berserkr, probably from ber- bear + serkr shirt

First Known Use

Noun

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1896, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing berserk

• go berserk

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Kids Definition

berserk

1 of 2 adjective

ber·​serk bə(r)-ˈsərk  ˌbər- 

-ˈzərk;

ˈbər-ˌsərk,

-zərk

: gone out of control : amok

berserk adverb

berserk

2 of 2 noun

variants or berserker

bə(r)-ˈsərk-ər,

ˌbər-,

-ˈzərk-;

ˈbər-ˌsərk-ər,

-ˌzərk-

: a Scandinavian warrior of ancient times who fought with great fury in battle and was believed impossible to kill or wound

Etymology

Adjective

from early Norse berserkr, from ber- (derived from the word for "bear") and serkr "shirt"

Word Origin

Many hundreds of years ago in what is now Scandinavia, certain warriors were known for their wild and savage behavior in battle. These fighters wore masks or garments of animal skin and the early Norse word for such a person was berserkr, meaning literally, "bear shirt." The word was borrowed into English in the early 19th century when many people became interested in Norse history and legend. From berserker, with the sense of "a Scandinavian warrior," the word became berserk, a general term for a person whose behavior is reckless and wild.