different between powerful vs fierce

English

Alternative forms

• powreful, powrefull (all obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English pouerful, powarfull, equivalent to power +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pa??f?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pa??f?l/
• Hyphenation: pow?er?ful

Adjective

powerful (comparative more powerful or powerfuller or powerfuler, superlative most powerful or powerfullest or powerfulest)

1. Having, or capable of exerting power, potency or influence.
2. (mining) Large; capacious; said of veins of ore.

Synonyms

• mightful
• mighty
• powersome
• strengthful
• strong
• forceful

Antonyms

• powerless
• strengthless

Translations

See also

• strong

Adverb

powerful (comparative more powerful, superlative most powerful)

1. (Southern US) Synonym of very

Anagrams

• powreful

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