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rampage

Etymology and origin of the English word rampage

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈɹæmpeɪd͡ʒ/[1]

Etymology

It is originally Scottish,[2][3][4][5][6] probably from ramp in the sense “to rage, rush wildly about”,[2][3][4][6] with the suffix -age.[3][6] Barnhart compares Middle English ramagen “to be furious”.[3] It is related to rampant.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

To behave violently or furiously; to storm or rage (1715, Scottish).[7][3][4]

Semantic evolution

By 1808 the verb meant to rush about wildly or violently.[7][5] The noun, a state of violent excitement or reckless behaviour, especially in the phrase on the rampage, followed in 1861.[7][3][4][5]

Timeline

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A course of violent, wild or reckless behavior, as in go on the rampage.
  2. A state of violent anger or agitation.

Verb

  1. To rush about wildly or violently.

Word family

  • rampager
  • rampageous
  • rampageously
  • rampageousness
  • ramp
  • rampant
  • rage

Usage notes

Random House lists storm, rage and tear as synonyms of the verb.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Rampage.” Etymologically, 14 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/rampage. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·