berserk

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   out of control with anger or excitement; frenzied

   The crowd went berserk when the winning goal was scored.

Simplified etymology

Berserk comes from Old Scandinavian berserkr, the name for a Norse warrior who fought with uncontrolled ferocity. The name probably meant “bear coat” or “bearskin,” although its first element may instead mean “bare,” referring to fighting without armor. The expression go berserk is recorded from 1896.

From Old Norse berserkr, a frenzied Norse warrior, probably from ber- ('bear') + serkr ('shirt'), i.e. one clad in a bearskin.

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