fist

¹ American  

[fist] / fɪst /

noun

1. the hand closed tightly, with the fingers doubled into the palm.

2. Informal. the hand.

3. Informal. a person's handwriting.

4. Printing. index.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make (one's hand) into a fist.

2. to grasp in the fist.

fist ² American  

[fahyst] / faɪst /

noun

1. feist.

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fist British  

/ fɪst /

noun

1. a hand with the fingers clenched into the palm, as for hitting

2. Also called: fistful.  the quantity that can be held in a fist or hand

3. an informal word for hand index

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verb

1. (tr) to hit with the fist

fist Idioms  

1. see hand over fist.

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Etymology

Origin of fist

before 900; Middle English; Old English fȳst; cognate with German Faust fist; perhaps akin to five

Explanation

Want to hit a punching bag? First you need to curl your fingers into your palm to make a fist, or a clenched hand. You might make a fist and bump it against your friend's as a greeting, or use it to clutch something tightly: "She held the balloon in one fist, and an ice cream cone in the other." Fists are also used to punch hard, and a fist fight is a serious physical altercation. When we trace this word back to its origin, we find a closely related root meaning "five," for the five fingers of a hand.

Example Sentences

You see the fist before anything else, glowing in the hot Florida sun.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

“I believe him. He got it right in here,” he said, pounding a fist over his heart.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

Prosecutors say El Hishri ran the prison with an iron fist, with special responsibility over the women's section.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

"The defender jumps with his left arm up and his fist is right on his head as the ball lands," he said.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

But then he shocked me and balled his hand into a fist, successfully hiding the envelope.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• clenched fist
• hand
• paw