Fierce


[feers] /fɪərs/

adjective, fiercer, fiercest.
1.
menacingly wild, savage, or hostile:
fierce animals; a fierce look.
2.
violent in force, intensity, etc.:
fierce winds.
3.
furiously eager or intense:
fierce competition.
4.
Informal. extremely bad or severe:
a fierce cold.
/fɪəs/
adjective
1.
having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage: a fierce dog
2.
wild or turbulent in force, action, or intensity: a fierce storm
3.
vehement, intense, or strong: fierce competition
4.
(informal) very disagreeable or unpleasant
adj.

mid-13c., “proud, noble, bold,” from Old French fers, nominative form of fer, fier “strong, overwhelming, violent, fierce, wild; proud, mighty, great, impressive” (Modern French fier “proud, haughty”), from Latin ferus “wild, untamed,” from PIE root *ghwer- “wild, wild animal” (cf. Greek ther, Old Church Slavonic zveri, Lithuanian zveris “wild beast”).

Original English sense of “brave, proud” died out 16c., but caused the word at first to be commonly used as an epithet, which accounts for the rare instance of a French word entering English in the nominative case. Meaning “ferocious, wild, savage” is from c.1300. Related: Fiercely; fierceness.

adjective

Nasty; unpleasant; awful: Gee, it was fierce of me (1903+)

Related Terms

something fierce

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  • Fiercely

    [feers] /fɪərs/ adjective, fiercer, fiercest. 1. menacingly wild, savage, or hostile: fierce animals; a fierce look. 2. violent in force, intensity, etc.: fierce winds. 3. furiously eager or intense: fierce competition. 4. Informal. extremely bad or severe: a fierce cold. /fɪəs/ adjective 1. having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage: a fierce dog 2. wild […]

  • Fierceness

    [feers] /fɪərs/ adjective, fiercer, fiercest. 1. menacingly wild, savage, or hostile: fierce animals; a fierce look. 2. violent in force, intensity, etc.: fierce winds. 3. furiously eager or intense: fierce competition. 4. Informal. extremely bad or severe: a fierce cold. /fɪəs/ adjective 1. having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage: a fierce dog 2. wild […]

  • Fiercer

    [feers] /fɪərs/ adjective, fiercer, fiercest. 1. menacingly wild, savage, or hostile: fierce animals; a fierce look. 2. violent in force, intensity, etc.: fierce winds. 3. furiously eager or intense: fierce competition. 4. Informal. extremely bad or severe: a fierce cold. /fɪəs/ adjective 1. having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage: a fierce dog 2. wild […]

  • Fiercest

    [feers] /fɪərs/ adjective, fiercer, fiercest. 1. menacingly wild, savage, or hostile: fierce animals; a fierce look. 2. violent in force, intensity, etc.: fierce winds. 3. furiously eager or intense: fierce competition. 4. Informal. extremely bad or severe: a fierce cold. /fɪəs/ adjective 1. having a violent and unrestrained nature; savage: a fierce dog 2. wild […]

  • Fieri-facias

    [fahy-uh-rahy fey-shee-as] /ˈfaɪ əˌraɪ ˈfeɪ ʃiˌæs/ noun, Law. 1. a writ commanding a sheriff to levy and sell as much of a debtor’s property as is necessary to satisfy a creditor’s claim against the debtor. Abbreviation: FI. FA., fi. fa. /ˈfaɪəˌraɪ ˈfeɪʃɪəs/ noun 1. (law) a writ ordering a levy on the belongings of an […]


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