fife

¹ American  

[fahyf] / faɪf /

noun

1. a high-pitched transverse flute used commonly in military and marching musical groups.

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verb (used with or without object)

fifed, fifing

1. to play on a fife.

Fife ² American  

[fahyf] / faɪf /

noun

1. Also called Fifeshire.  a historic county in E Scotland.

2. a region in E Scotland. 504 sq. mi. (1,305 sq. km).

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Fife ¹ British  

/ faɪf /

noun

1. a council area and historical county of E central Scotland, bordering on the North Sea between the Firths of Tay and Forth: coastal lowlands in the north and east, with several ranges of hills; mainly agricultural. Administrative centre: Glenrothes. Pop: 352 040 (2003 est). Area: 1323 sq km (511 sq miles)

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fife ² British  

/ faɪf /

noun

1. a small high-pitched flute similar to the piccolo and usually having no keys, used esp in military bands

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verb

1. to play (music) on a fife

Fife ³ British  

/ faɪf /

noun

1. Duncan See Duncan Phyfe

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fife Cultural  

1. A small flute with a high, piercing tone, used mainly in military bands.

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Other Word Forms

• fifer noun

Etymology

Origin of fife

1540–50; < German Pfeife pipe ¹

Explanation

A fife is a musical instrument that looks like a very small flute. Fifes are usually made of wood, rather than metal, and are common in military marching bands. A fife is much more high-pitched than a flute—it's also louder and more shrill sounding. It was a popular instrument in some of the folk music in medieval Europe, and especially during the Colonial period in America, when it was played more than violins or pianos. Because it's so portable and relatively loud for its size, the fife became widely used in military and marching bands starting during the Renaissance period.

Example Sentences

There was a “Spirit of ’76”—three men with fife and drum.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2020

A soundtrack absent of bagpipes, fife and drums and marching bands.

From Washington Times • Mar. 18, 2020

Here camp and its covert campaign of subversion feel wonderfully urgent and necessary: the gap-toothed fife player in the march toward “nonbinary.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2019

As the man struck a martial tattoo on his drum, another man in period costume began playing a fife and leading Heather’s class in circles outside George Washington’s iconic white-columned home.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2017

A repeating pattern showing the famous trio of drummer boy, fife player, and lame old man.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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