fiery

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adjective fi·ery \ ˈfī(-ə)-rē \

Definition of fiery

fierier; fieriest

1 a :consisting of fire

fiery tongues playing about the roof of the burning building

b :marked by fire

a fiery crash

c :using or carried out with fire

the fiery experiments of the ancient alchemists

d :liable to catch fire or explode :flammable

a fiery vapor

2 a :hot like a fire

the fiery taste of red pepper

b (1) :being in an inflamed state or condition

a fiery boil

(2) :feverish and flushed

a fiery forehead

3 :of the color of fire :red

a fiery sunset

4 a :full of or exuding emotion or spirit

a fiery sermon

b :easily provoked :irritable

a fiery temper

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fierily

play \ˈfī-rə-lē\ adverb

—

fieriness

play \ˈfī-rē-nəs\ noun

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fiery

adverb

See fiery defined for English-language learners

See fiery defined for kids

fiery was our Word of the Day on 12/08/2009. Hear the podcast!

Examples of fiery in a Sentence

He was killed in a fiery crash.
the fiery Yule log made a splendid backdrop for our holiday party

Recent Examples of fiery from the Web

So far, as a useful catalogue of this last week’s Brietbart headlines by Politico shows, the fiery site has only directly criticized Trump on one topic: his decision to go with the recommendations of the generals on Afghanistan.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Breitbart News Will Try to Force Trump to Be Trump, Whether He Likes It or Not," 28 Aug. 2017
With growing fervor against foreigners in the mid-nineteenth century, these white nationalists sparked deadly and fiery urban riots, raving about immigrants who were stealing jobs and committing crimes.

— aaron carico, Teen Vogue, "5 Ways Fascism Has Existed in America Since the 1700s," 28 Aug. 2017
Habanero pizza time at Flying Pie Listen up fans of the fiery habanero pepper.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Special dinners planned for Richard’s in Boise and Sawtooth Winery near Nampa," 24 Aug. 2017
President Donald Trump called out his detractors and threatened to shut down the government over funding for the border wall during a fiery rally in Phoenix Tuesday.

— veronica hilbring, Essence.com, "Who Didn't Trump Attack In That Outrageous, Delusional Campaign Rally In Arizona?," 23 Aug. 2017
Behind its prepared glasses, San Diego presented its composite face to the fiery convergence.

— magner white, sandiegouniontribune.com, "From the archives: When it was midnight at midday!," 17 Aug. 2017
As a first-time viewer, Rachel Lindsay drew me in with her easy smile, fiery confidence, and honest vulnerability.

— ikya kandula, Longreads, "Failed Promises: A ‘Bachelorette’ Reading List," 8 Aug. 2017
With each closing day of the trade show, news of the one-of-a-kind porcelain-tile designs spread as quickly as the casino drinks flowed, and by the end, the fiery twosome knew their dream had found its reality.

— audrey st. clair, Orlando Signature, "Team Tile," 28 July 2017
The three-piece collection includes a T-shirt, tote bag, and pair of shorts featuring the Mother of Dragons looking as fierce and fiery as ever.

— zoë weiner, Glamour, "Game of Thrones," 26 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fiery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of fiery

Middle English, from fire, fier fire

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First Known Use: 13th century

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fiery Synonyms

Synonyms

afire, aflame, alight [chiefly British], blazing, burning, combusting, conflagrant, ablaze, flaming, ignited, inflamed (also enflamed), kindled, lit (or lighted)

FIERY Defined for English Language Learners

fiery

play

adjective

Definition of fiery for English Language Learners

: having or producing fire
of food : tasting very hot and spicy
: having or showing a lot of strong and angry emotion

FIERY Defined for Kids

fiery

play

adjective fi·ery \ ˈfī-ə-rē , ˈfīr-ē \

Definition of fiery for Students

fierier; fieriest

1 :marked by fire

a fiery explosion

2 :hot or glowing like a fire

3 :full of spirit

a fiery speech

4 :easily angered

Learn More about fiery

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fiery Spanish Central: Translation of fiery Nglish: Translation of fiery for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fiery for Arabic speakers

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fiery was our Word of the Day on 12/08/2009. Hear the podcast!

Examples of fiery in a Sentence

Recent Examples of fiery from the Web

Origin and Etymology of fiery

fiery Synonyms

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FIERY Defined for English Language Learners

fiery

Definition of fiery for English Language Learners

FIERY Defined for Kids

fiery

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