fureur

Fureur is a masculine French noun meaning extreme anger or fury; it can also denote intense, often destructive force or energy. Etymology traces it to Latin furor, via Old French fureur, and it has cognates in other Romance languages.

In everyday French, fureur describes violent anger or rage: Il éclata dans une fureur incontrôlable. It can also convey strong, uncontrollable enthusiasm or momentum, as in “la fureur des vagues” or “la fureur du public,” to express collective fervor. The term is commonly used in literature and journalism to emphasize intensity; it can pair with adjectives such as sauvage, inexorable, or divine.

In religious and mythological contexts, fureur can describe the wrath or anger of gods. The phrase fureur appears in idiomatic expressions and titles and is distinct from colère (anger) or rage in nuance: furor implies force, speed, and emotion that is difficult to govern, rather than a calculated anger.

Translations: in English, fureur is typically rendered as fury or rage, sometimes frenzy or intense ardor depending on context. In cultural usage, “La Fureur” is a common title for artistic works or programs in French-speaking regions, often used to evoke excitement or violent energy without specifying content.

See also: furor, fury; see also fougue, ardeur, colère.