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rampant

Pronunciation: /ˈramp(ə)nt/
Translate rampant | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of rampant

adjective

  • 1(especially of something unwelcome) flourishing or spreading unchecked:political violence was rampant rampant inflation
  • unrestrained in action or performance:rampant sex
  • (of a plant) lush in growth; luxuriant:a rich soil soon becomes home to rampant weeds
  • 2 [usually postpositive] Heraldry (of an animal) represented standing on one hind foot with its forefeet in the air (typically in profile, facing the dexter side, with right hind foot and tail raised):two gold lions rampant

Derivatives

rampancy

noun

rampantly

adverb

Origin:

Middle English (as a heraldic term): from Old French, literally 'crawling', present participle of ramper (see ramp). From the original use describing a wild animal arose the sense 'fierce', whence the current notion of 'unrestrained'

Spelling help

The ending of rampant is spelled -ant.

rampant in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rampant in the US English dictionary
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