fierce

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /fɪəs/, US /fɪrs/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English fiers, borrowed from Anglo-Norman fers and Old French fiers, the nominative of fier (“wild, fierce, proud”) (modern French fier (“proud”)),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Latin ferus (“wild, untamed”) (see feral),^[2][3][4] cognate with Ancient Greek θήρ (thḗr, “wild animal”) and Lithuanian žvėris (“wild beast”),^[2][5] from Proto-Indo-European *ghwer- (“wild beast”).^[3][2] It is a rare case of a French word entering English in the nominative, because fierce was much used as an epithet and surname while its old sense, brave, was current.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Proud, noble, bold: in the surname Fiers, 1240, in Barnhart; the mid-13th century in Etymonline.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Proud or haughty (about 1290) and brave or valiant (1297) are the earliest senses in the OED; they died out in the 16th century.^[7][3] Ferocious and savage is used of persons from about 1300, and of animals from the late 14th century.^[3][7] Of fire, wind, passion and other forces it is from before 1300,^[7] and ardent or eager from 1377.^[7] Of things acting strongly it is from 1912.^[7] In northern Yorkshire as fierce as a blind pig meant able to do anything.^[8]

Timeline

• 1240 – Fiers (surname).^[2]
• c. 1290 – proud (obsolete).^[7]
• c. 1300 – ferocious, of persons.^[3]
• 1377 – of animals; ardent.^[7]
• 16th century – the sense brave dies out.^[3]
• 1912 – of things, forceful.^[7]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Having a violent, savage nature; ferocious: a fierce dog.
2. Wild or violent in force: a fierce storm.
3. Intense or vehement: fierce competition.
4. (informal) Very difficult or unpleasant.
5. (informal) Of a person, especially a woman, strong and self-confident.

Word family

• fiercely
• fierceness
• overfierce
• unfierce

Related words

• feral
• ferity
• ferocious

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)