feisty English · revision 2051

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfaɪsti/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[feist]] “a small dog” and the suffix [[-y]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) ''Feist'' is from earlier American dialect ''fice'', ''fist'' (1805),^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) short for ''fysting curre'' “stinking cur” (1529),^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from Middle English ''fysten'' “to break wind”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) related to Old English ''fisting'' “stink”.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Aggressive, excitable, touchy (1896, American dialect).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A feist was a small, yappy dog,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) and to be feisty was to behave like one: touchy, quarrelsome or fidgety.^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD) In the Southern and Midland United States it could mean full of nervous energy.^(MW Collegiate) In general use the word has become more approving, describing lively, plucky spirit,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) especially in someone small or at a disadvantage.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1529 – ''fysting curre'', stinking cur.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1805 – ''fice'', a small dog.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1896 – aggressive, touchy.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Full of spirit or pluck; spunky.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Touchy or quarrelsome.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(chiefly Southern and Midland US)'' Fidgety, full of nervous energy.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[feistiness]]

+ * [[feistily]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[feist]]

+ * [[fart]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}