Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Wild animals. See feræ naturæ, below.
  • [capitalized] In the Linnean system of classification (1766), the third order of Mammalia, containing the ten Linnean genera Phoca, Canis, Felis, Viverra, Mustela, Ursus, Didelphys, Talpa, Sorex, and Erinaceus.
  • An order of Mammalia, the Carnivora of authors.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun plural (Zoöl.) A group of mammals which formerly included the Carnivora, Insectivora, Marsupialia, and lemurs, but is now often restricted to the Carnivora.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The American system (at least after 1860) was far better in that it followed the same principle as traditional libertarian ferae naturae: whoever got on the land first and worked it would wind up owning it.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Venezuela 2010

  • On my property exam I spotted all of these crazy, but small issues, such as animus revertendi and ferae naturae.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » A Common Law School Exam Mistake 2010

  • On my property exam I spotted all of these crazy, but small issues, such as animus revertendi and ferae naturae.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » A Common Law School Exam Mistake 2010

  • The American system at least after 1860 was far better in that it followed the same principle as traditional libertarian ferae naturae: whoever got on the land first and worked it would wind up owning it.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Venezuela 2010

  • Nihil omnino meliorem vitam degunt, quam ferae in silvis, jumenta in terris.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Cujusque ferae pabulum, saith [1748] Seneca, impatient of heat and cold, impatient of labour, impatient of idleness, exposed to fortune's contumelies.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Operationes plerumque ferae, etsi libera sit illa in essentia sua.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Pleni sunt libri quibus ferae in homines inflammatae fuerunt, in quibus ego quidem semper assensum sustinui, veritus ne fabulosa crederem; Donec vidi lyncem quem habui ab Assyria, sic affectum erga unum de meis hominibus, &c. 4673.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Quem non mille ferae, quem non Sthenelejus hostis,

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • A novalibus suis arcentur agricolae, dum ferae habeant vagandi libertatem: istis, ut pascua augeantur, praedia subtrahuntur, &c. Sarisburiensis.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

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