fiery
Americanadjective
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consisting of, attended with, characterized by, or containing fire.
a volcano's fiery discharge.
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intensely hot.
fiery desert sands.
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like or suggestive of fire.
a fiery red; angry, fiery eyes.
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intensely ardent, impetuous, or passionate.
fiery courage; a fiery speech.
- Synonyms:
- impassioned, spirited, vehement, fervent
- Antonyms:
- dispassionate, cold, cool
-
easily angered or provoked.
a fiery temper.
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causing a burning sensation, as certain liquors or condiments.
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inflamed, as a tumor or sore.
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Mining: Older Use.
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highly flammable.
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containing highly flammable gas.
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adjective
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of, containing, or composed of fire
-
resembling fire in heat, colour, ardour, etc
a fiery desert wind
a fiery speaker
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easily angered or aroused
a fiery temper
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(of food) producing a burning sensation
a fiery curry
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(of the skin or a sore) inflamed
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flammable or containing flammable gas
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(of a cricket pitch) making the ball bounce dangerously high
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of fiery
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English fiery, fury, fery; see fire, -y 1
Explanation
When something is very hot or intense, it's fiery. Fiery can describe a literal blaze, a hot chili pepper, or even a fiery temper. Any time there's fire, you have a fiery situation. This word applies to a lot more than flames, though. If you lose your temper easily, you may be called hot-headed or fiery. An intense argument — with two people yelling and carrying on — could be called fiery. Any kind of intense emotion or passion is fiery. If you're a cool customer, you're not very fiery. Also, you could say that hot Indian curry or spicy chicken wings are fiery.
Vocabulary lists containing fiery
100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The straight-line edge on one of the newly-made beaches on Antelope Reef suggests China may be building another military-grade runway there, similar to those on Mischief, Fiery Cross and Subi reefs.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Palawan is close to the newly established Chinese air naval bases that include harbors, runways, bunkers and underground munitions storage facilities in Subi Reef and Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands.
From Washington Times • Mar. 15, 2023
The movie — produced by Oge Obasi, the director’s longtime professional partner and wife, through their Fiery Films production company — is premiering in the festival’s World Cinema dramatic competition.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2023
The estate is also bordered by about a mile of Fiery Run, a stream that feeds the Rappahannock River.
From Washington Post • Dec. 9, 2022
Fiery shingles floated from the roof and caught in the branches of the tree outside my window, setting the bark ablaze.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
