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Definition of fife

fife

/faɪf/
fife
Plural:fifes
•
Past Simple:fifed
•
Past Participle:fifed
•
Present Participle:fifing
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fife Lexical Profile

fife Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, high-pitched transverse flute, similar to a piccolo, traditionally used to accompany drums in military and marching bands.

Example

"The shrill sound of the fife pierced through the noise of the marching infantry."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for fife

• verb

1

To play a tune on a fife.

Example

"The musicians fifed a lively historical march during the reenactment of the battle."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for fife

• Rhymes for fife

• Nearby Words

field
fieldfare
fierce snake
fife
fig
figbird
fighter

Word Origin & Etymology

From 16th-century German 'Pfeife' (pipe) or French 'fifre', ultimately derived from the Latin 'pipare' meaning 'to pipe' or 'to chirp'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fife. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fife
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