French has two words fier: the verb (se) fier “to trust”, from Vulgar Latin *fidare, and the adjective fier, fière “proud”, from Latin ferus “wild”.[1][2][3]
fier1 to trust
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Inherited
- First attested
- c. 1100, Chanson de Roland
- Inherited from
- Latin *fido
- Ultimate origin
- Latin (fīdō)
Pronunciation
Forms
fier[3]
Etymology
“To trust” is inherited from Vulgar Latin *fīdāre,[4][2][5][6] an alteration of classical Latin fīdere (“to trust”), or derived from fīdus (“faithful”),[5][1] from the Indo-European root “*bheidh-” “to trust, persuade” of foi.[2]
Cognate with Italian fidare, Old Occitan fizar, Spanish fiar and Portuguese fiar.[5][7]
Earliest recorded meaning
The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has the reflexive: Et Olivier en qui il tant se fiet, Oliver, in whom he trusts so much.[4][8]
Semantic evolution
Se fier en was the first construction, se fier à dates from 1316, and se fier de (about 1360) and se fier sur (1668) have gone.[2] The transitive fier qqch. à qqn “to entrust” (12th century; 1220) was already old-fashioned in the 17th century, though Corneille still writes à qui voulez-vous désormais que je fie les secrets de mon âme.[2][4][1] François I's Souvent femme varie, bien fol est qui s'y fie is a famous line.[8] Derivatives include fiancer (from fiance “pledge”), défier, se méfier and fiable.[2]
Timeline
- c. 1100 – Se fier in the Chanson de Roland.[4]
- 12th century – Fiancier.[5]
- 1220 – Fier “to entrust”.[4]
- 1316 – Se fier à.[2]
- Late 15th century – Se méfier.[5]
Meanings
Verb
- (reflexive) Se fier à: to trust, rely on: je me fie à vous, ne vous y fiez pas.[3][9]
- (obsolete) To entrust (something to someone).[1][4]
Word family
- fiancer
- fiançailles
- défier
- méfier
- fiable
fier2 proud
Pronunciation
- IPA: /fjɛʁ/[3]
Forms
fier (feminine fière, masculine plural fiers, feminine plural fières)[3]
Etymology
“Proud” is inherited from Old French fier, “fer”, inherited from Latin ferus (“wild, untamed; cruel”),[2][5][3][10] as opposed to “mansuetus” “tame”, “ferus” belongs to an Indo-European root “*ghwer-” “wild”, found also in Ancient Greek θηρίον (thēríon, “wild beast”).[2][9] In Late Latin it had already taken the sense “bold”.[5][11] The final ⟨r⟩ is pronounced under the influence of the feminine and of “fierté”.[5] féroce is of the same family.[9]
Cognate with Italian fiero, Old Occitan fer and Spanish fiero (“fierce”).[5][9] English fierce comes from French (14th century).[9]
Earliest recorded meaning
The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) has it;[11][1] in the Chanson de Roland (1080) it means “fierce, bold” and, with de, “pleased with”.[2][11]
Semantic evolution
Until the 17th century fier meant “fierce, wild, cruel”, and of animals “hard to approach” (about 1190), as in perdrix fière;[2][11] Racine's fiers ravisseurs are cruel.[9] From the 12th century it described a person who thinks himself above others, haughty, a sense now dated except in fier comme Artaban (Vidocq, 1829) and il n'est pas fier.[5][2] The everyday sense, “proud of, pleased with” (fier de son fils), keeps the idea of satisfaction without that of superiority;[2] the idea of greatness survives in une fière chandelle.[2][3] In the East of France it means “sour”, of unripe fruit (16th century).[5] Fierté goes back to the Chanson de Roland (fiertet “boldness”).[2][5]
Timeline
- c. 1050 – Fier in Saint Alexis.[11]
- 1080 – “Bold” and fier de, fiertet, in the Chanson de Roland.[2]
- c. 1190 – Of animals, “shy”.[2]
- c. 1330 – Fier-à-bras.[2]
- 1692 – Faire le fier.[2]
- 1829 – Fier comme Artaban in Vidocq.[2]
Meanings
Adjective
- Proud (of), pleased (with): fier de son travail.[3][9]
- Proud, haughty: faire le fier, fier comme Artaban.[9][3]
- Having dignity, self-respect: trop fier pour accepter.[9][12]
- (familiar, before the noun) Remarkable, real: un fier imbécile, devoir une fière chandelle à qqn.[3][2]
- (literary) Fierce, wild, bold.[9][11]
Word family
- fièrement
- fierté
- fiérot
- fier-à-bras
Related words
- féral
- féroce
- foi
- confier
- English fierce
References
- ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
- ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 498a
- ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
- ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
- ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 478a
- ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
- ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Related etymologies
Cite this entry
“Fier.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/fier. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
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