Feralize Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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feralize
[ˈfɛr.əl.aɪz ]
Definition
animal behavior
To feralize means to revert an animal, particularly a domestic one, back to a wild or feral state. This process can occur due to a lack of human interaction or environmental factors that encourage wild behavior.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The cats in the abandoned neighborhood became feralized and formed a colony.
- Attempts to feralize dogs can lead to unpredictable behavior.
- Some animals feralize quickly when left to fend for themselves in the wild.
Translations
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Origin of 'feralize'
The term 'feralize' is derived from the word 'feral', which comes from the Latin 'feralis', meaning 'pertaining to the wild' or 'of the wild'. The concept of something being feral refers to a state of an organism reverting to a non-domesticated form, often associated with animals that were once domesticated but have returned to living in the wild. The adjective 'feral' itself was first recorded in the English language in the 17th century and has its roots in the early modern Latin 'feralis'. Over time, 'feralize' has evolved to describe the process by which domestic animals adapt and change behaviorally to thrive in wild conditions, often losing various traits associated with domestication. This phenomenon has been of interest in studies of animal behavior, evolutionary biology, and ecology, particularly regarding how species adapt to changing environments.