different between fierce vs atrocious

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f??s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /f??s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s

Adjective

fierce (comparative fiercer, superlative fiercest)

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.

3. Threatening in appearance or demeanor.

   The lion gave a fierce roar.

4. (slang, Ireland, rural) 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.

Synonyms

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

Derived terms

• fiercely
• fierceness
• something fierce

Related terms

• feral
• ferocious

Translations

Adverb

fierce (not comparable)

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

   It was fierce cold last night.

References

• fierce at OneLook Dictionary Search
• fierce in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Recife

English

Etymology

From Latin atr?x (“cruel, fierce, frightful”) +? -ious.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ?-tr??-sh?s
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??t?????s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??t?o???s/
• Rhymes: -????s
• Hyphenation: a?tro?cious

Adjective

atrocious (comparative more atrocious, superlative most atrocious)

1. Frightful, evil, cruel, or monstrous.

2. Offensive or heinous.
3. Very bad; abominable, disgusting.

Derived terms

• atrociously
• atrociousness
• vomitrocious

Related terms

• atrocity

Translations