fierce

[feers]
adjective, fierc·er, fierc·est.
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.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English fiers < Anglo-French fers, Old French fiers (nominative) < Latin ferus wild, fierce; cf. feral1, ferocious

fierce·ly, adverb
fierce·ness, noun
o·ver·fierce, adjective
o·ver·fierce·ly, adverb
o·ver·fierce·ness, noun
un·fierce, adjective
un·fierce·ly, adjective


1. untamed; cruel, fell, brutal; barbarous, bloodthirsty, murderous. Fierce, ferocious, truculent suggest vehemence and violence of temper, manner, or action: fierce in repelling a foe. Ferocious implies fierceness or cruelty, especially of a bloodthirsty kind, in disposition or action: a ferocious glare; ferocious brutality toward helpless refugees. Truculent suggests an intimidating or bullying fierceness of manner or conduct: His truculent attitude kept them terrified and submissive. 2, 3. furious, passionate, turbulent.


1. tame, mild.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To fierceness
00:10
Fierceness is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
Collins
World English Dictionary
fierce (fɪəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
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
 
[C13: from Old French fiers, from Latin ferus]
 
'fiercely
 
adv
 
'fierceness
 
n

fierce (fɪəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
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
 
[C13: from Old French fiers, from Latin ferus]
 
'fiercely
 
adv
 
'fierceness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fierce
mid-13c., from O.Fr. fers, nom. form of fer, fier "wild, ferocious," from L. ferus "wild, untamed," from PIE base *gwer- "wild, wild animal" (cf. Gk. ther, O.C.S. zveri, Lith. zveris "wild beast"). Originally in English also with a sense of "brave, proud," which 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. Related: Fiercely; fierceness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

fierce definition


  1. mod.
    really good. : This is some fierce coffee!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The bitter fierceness of some of our leading reformers is over-looked by their
  followers, because it.
The fierceness of that freedom was the fire in the breath and the neon in the
  blood of the dragon.
While the reason for the ancient wars may be lost in the mists of time, the
  fierceness of the bloodshed is no longer in doubt.
Melissa loved and fiercely believed in people and she fought with a maternal
  fierceness for their creative dreams to come true.
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