Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

feral-animal

Noun

/ˈfɛr.əl ˈæn.ɪ.məl/

Definition

A feral animal is one that has reverted to the wild after being domesticated or that has never been domesticated.

Examples

The abandoned dog became a feral animal, scavenging for food in the city.
Feral cats often form colonies in urban areas.
After generations in the wild, the once-domesticated pigs became true feral animals.

Meaning

Feral animals typically live in a natural environment and exhibit behaviors that are instinctive to their species, rather than those expected of domesticated animals.