English
fiercely
Fiercely comes from Middle English fersly ‘fiercely, ferociously’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₁r-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰweh₁r-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEferus‘wild, savage, fierce, cruel’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fers
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘fierce’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500fersly‘fiercely, ferociously’
- Englishearliest quotation 1879fiercely
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰweh₁r-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEferus‘wild, savage, fierce, cruel’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fers
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘fierce’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500fersly‘fiercely, ferociously’
- Englishearliest quotation 1879fiercely
Earliest quotation: 1879, Richard Jefferies, London: Smith: “They burned the old gun that used to stand…”
Formed from fierce + -ly
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₁r-
Latin ferus ‘wild", "untamed’
Old French fers ‘wild", "ferocious’
Middle English fers ‘brave, bold’
English fierce
Linked words
through Latin ferus ‘wild, savage, fierce, cruel’
through Middle English fers ‘fierce’
Today it means
adv In a fierce manner.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₁r- / fiercely