berserk

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

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

Peer in on the New York team making a medium-to-deep run in the playoffs as every New Yorker in your life goes berserk. —Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 16 May 2026

The crowd in Rio went berserk, and social media melted. —Bobby Ghosh, Time, 7 May 2026

Only after the midway break did the floodgates open and the Fire go berserk on goal. —The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026

No matter what absurdities the Gemstones perpetrated or endured, the series always offered them second chances — and opportunities for performers like Edi Patterson, Walton Goggins, and McBride himself to go berserk. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing berserk

• go berserk

Rhymes for berserk

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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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

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.