Fiercely

How to spell fiercely

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce fiercely

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does fiercely mean?

1. adverbIn a way that shows great intensity, aggression, or strong feeling.

Fiercely in a sentence

• The two firms competed fiercely for the same contract.

• She guarded her independence fiercely throughout the negotiations.

Where does fiercely come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin ferus, which literally meant 'wild' or 'untamed', the same root that gives us 'feral' for animals that have reverted to a wild state. Latin developed the related form ferox, meaning 'savage' or 'high-spirited', and from these the Old French adjective fers or fiers was formed, carrying senses of 'proud', 'brave', and 'fearsome'. English borrowed it during the 1200s as 'fierce', at first describing a bold or proud bearing before settling into its modern meaning of intense ferocity. The adverb 'fiercely' was then built in the ordinary English way by adding the suffix -ly. The spelling keeps the French-style 'ie' vowel pairing and the soft 'ce', which is exactly where writers can slip, since the sound gives no clue to the order of those letters.

How the word is built

• fierce (from Latin ferus: wild, savage)
• -ly (adverb suffix)