What does "fiery" mean?

1. (burning or glowing) burning or glowing with fire. 2. (brightly coloured) having a bright colour like fire, such as bright red or orange. 3. (emotionally intense) showing very strong emotions, especially anger or passion. 4. (spicy or hot) tasting very hot and spicy, like it is burning your mouth.

fiery

adj.

US //ˈfaɪɝi// UK //fˈaɪəɹi// fiery

1 burning or glowing (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

burning or glowing with fire.

consisting of, or characterized by, active combustion or intense heat.

Example

The plane left a fiery trail in the sky as it fell.

Example

The meteor entered the atmosphere with a fiery glow, illuminating the night sky for several seconds before disintegrating.
- blazing
- burning
- afire
- extinguished
- cold
2 brightly coloured (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

having a bright colour like fire, such as bright red or orange.

having the intense, bright colour of fire, typically applied to hair or sunsets.

Example

She has fiery red hair that makes her easy to find in a crowd.

Example

The evening concluded with a fiery sunset that painted the clouds in deep shades of crimson and gold.
- dull
- pale

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3 emotionally intense (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

showing very strong emotions, especially anger or passion.

characterized by intense emotion, spirit, or a quick temper.

Example

The politician gave a fiery speech that made the crowd cheer.

Example

Known for her fiery temperament, the conductor was as famous for her backstage arguments as she was for her brilliant performances.
- passionate
- spirited
- tempestuous
- calm
- mild
- dispassionate
4 spicy or hot (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

tasting very hot and spicy, like it is burning your mouth.

producing a burning sensation in the mouth due to spice or heat.

Example

I wasn't prepared for how fiery the peppers in this soup would be.

Example

The chef added a fiery habanero sauce to the dish, warning the diners that it was not for the faint of heart.
- bland
- mild

Origin

From Middle English fyry, from fyr (“fire”), equivalent to fire + -y. Compare typologically Mongolian галт (galt) (< гал (gal)); Russian пла́менный (plámennyj) (akin to пла́мя (plámja)); Russian вспы́льчивый (vspýlʹčivyj), запа́льчивый (zapálʹčivyj).