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

Haaland lifted his finger to his ear and looked into the crowd, where Norway fans were going berserk. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 23 June 2026

Argentina strikes first in the 38th minute, and the massive Argentina faithful goes berserk inside the stadium. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026

Adjective

When the Spurs locked down Brunson, or tried, the ball went elsewhere, zinging around the court, from player to player, as if in a berserk video game. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 14 June 2026

The New York Knicks' historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday ignited celebration as well as chaos outside Madison Square Garden as some fans went berserk, prompting dozens of arrests. — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 11 June 2026

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

Rhymes for berserk

• artwork
• beadwork
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork
• falsework

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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.