farouche

fierce, wild

adjective fah-ROOSH Rare

Also means

shy, unsociable

Usage Note

Farouche has two distinct registers: used of animals it means 'wild/untamed'; used of people it means 'shy, standoffish, hard to approach'. It is invariable between masculine and feminine: un regard farouche / une bête farouche. The adverb farouchement means 'fiercely/resolutely'.

Examples

"Cet enfant est très farouche avec les étrangers."

Natural Translation

This child is very shy with strangers.

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