fierce

From Middle English fers, fiers, borrowed from Old French fers (“wild", "ferocious”), nominative of fer, from Latin ferus (“wild", "untamed”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fɪəs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /fɪɹs/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /fɜː(ɹ)s/

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• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)s

fierce (comparative fiercer or more fierce, superlative fiercest or most fierce)

1. Exceedingly violent, severe, ferocious, cruel or savage.

   A fierce storm battered the coast.

   I felt a fierce loyalty to my family.

2. Resolute or strenuously active.

   We made a fierce attempt to escape.

   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     Yet his passion for her had grown fiercer than ever, and he swore to himself that he would win her back from her phantasies. She, one may believe, was ready enough to listen.

3. Threatening in appearance or demeanor.

   The lion gave a fierce roar.

4. (slang, Ireland, rustic) Excellent, very good.

   Q: "How was the party last night?" A: "Fierce!"

5. (slang, US, LGBT, fashion) Of exceptional quality, exhibiting boldness or chutzpah.

   Tyra said to strike a pose and make it fierce.

• (exceedingly violent): incessive
• (threatening in appearance or demeanor): incessive

• feral
• ferocious

fierce (not comparable)

1. (slang, Ireland, rustic) Extremely; very.

   It was fierce cold last night.

• “fierce”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “fierce”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

• Recife