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fierce: fierce: [13] Fierce has not always had exclusively negative connotations of ‘aggression’, although admittedly they do go back a long way. Its source, Latin ferus (which also gave English feral) meant originally ‘wild, untamed’, but it subsequently developed the metaphorical sense ‘uncultivated, savage, cruel’. However, when English acquired the word, via Anglo-Norman fers and Old French fiers, it was used for ‘brave’ and ‘proud’ as well as ‘wildly hostile or menacing’. ‘Brave’ died out in the 16th century, although across the Channel ‘proud’ has survived to become the only sense of modern French fiers.
=> feral
amplifier (n.): 1540s; agent noun from amplify. Electronic sense is from 1914; shortened form amp is from 1967. Alternative stentorphone (1921) did not catch on.
dehumidifier (n.): 1921, agent noun from de- + humidify.
emulsifier (n.): 1872, agent noun from emulsify.
fierce (adj.): mid-13c., "proud, noble, bold, haughty," from Old French fers, fiers, nominative form of fer, fier "strong, overwhelming, violent, fierce, wild; proud, mighty, great, impressive" (Modern French fier "proud, haughty"), from Latin ferus "wild, untamed, uncultivated; waste, desert;" figuratively "wild, uncultivated, savage, cruel," from PIE root *ghwer- "wild; wild animal" (cognates: Greek ther, Old Church Slavonic zveri, Lithuanian zveris "wild beast").

Meaning "ferocious, wild, savage, cruel" of persons is from c. 1300; of beasts from late 14c. Original English sense of "brave, proud" died out 16c., but while this sense was current fierce often was used in English as an epithet (and thus surname), which accounts for the rare instance of a French word entering English in the nominative case. Related: Fiercely; fierceness. In Middle English sometimes also "dangerous, destructive; great, strong; huge (in number)." An early 15c. medical treatise has fers benes for "wild beans."
fieri facias (n.): writ concerning a sum awarded in judgment (often requiring seizure and sale of property for debt), Latin, literally "cause it to be done, cause to be made," the first words of the writ, from Latin fieri "to be made, come into being" (see fiat). Second word from facere "to do" (see factitious).
fiery (adj.): late 13c., "flaming, full of fire," from Middle English fier "fire" (see fire (n.)) + -y (2). The spelling is a relic of one of the attempts to render Old English "y" in fyr in a changing system of vowel sounds. Other Middle English spellings include firi, furi, fuiri, vuiri, feri. From c. 1400 as "blazing red." Of persons, from late 14c. Related: Fieriness. As adjectives Old English had fyrbære "fiery, fire-bearing;" fyren "of fire, fiery, on fire;" fyrenful; fyrhat "hot as fire."
humidifier (n.): 1884, agent noun from humidify.
identifier (n.): "thing that identifies," 1870, agent noun from identify.
magnifier (n.): 1540s, agent noun from magnify.
modifier (n.): 1580s, agent noun of modify. Grammatical sense is from 1865.
pacifier (n.): "one who pacifies or appeases," 1530s, agent noun from pacify. The meaning "nipple-shaped device for babies" is first recorded 1904.
preamplifier (n.): 1929, from pre- + amplifier. Shortened form pre-amp is attested from 1957.
purifier (n.): late 15c., agent noun from purify; as a type of mechanical apparatus, from 1834.
qualifier (n.): 1560s, agent noun from qualify. Grammatical sense is from 1580s.
rectifier (n.): 1610s, agent noun from rectify.
signifier (n.): 1530s, agent noun from signify. In U.S. black use by 1962.
re-edifier: "A person who rebuilds or reconstructs a building, city, etc", Mid 16th cent.; earliest use found in John Leland (c1503–1552), poet and antiquary. Either from re- + edifier, or from re-edify + -er.
acetifier: "An apparatus in which acetous fermentation is carried out in the manufacture of vinegar", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in Andrew Ure (1778–1857), chemist. From acetify + -er.