What does "feist" mean?
A small, snappy, belligerent mixed-breed dog; a feist dog.
Feist
/faɪst/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small, snappy, belligerent mixed-breed dog; a feist dog.
- Grammar: feist is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bear, crank, crosspatch, dog.
- Useful contrasts: docile dog, gentle breed, gentle person.
- Usage evidence: Sultry Joan Collins says she likes her men feisty and her beau Peter Holm is full of feist.
How to use "feist"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "feist" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "feist" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "feist" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "feist" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "feist" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bear" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "feist", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small, snappy, belligerent mixed-breed dog; a feist dog. US, countable
- 2 a nervous belligerent little mongrel dog wordnet
- 3 Feisty behavior. uncountable
"Sultry Joan Collins says she likes her men feisty and her beau Peter Holm is full of feist."
- 4 Silent (but pungent) flatulence. countable, uncountable, vulgar
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from German.
Antonyms
Example
"Sultry Joan Collins says she likes her men feisty and her beau Peter Holm is full of feist."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "feist"?
Common synonyms include: bear, crank, crosspatch, dog, dragon, fice.
How do you use "feist" in a sentence?
Sultry Joan Collins says she likes her men feisty and her beau Peter Holm is full of feist.
How do you pronounce "feist"?
Pronounced /faɪst/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Earliest sense is “fart”, and later “stink” as abbreviation for fysting cur “stinking dog” (1520s). From Middle English fysten (mid-15th century), from Old English. Cognate with Middle Dutch veest and Dutch vijst. Possibly from Proto-Germanic *fistiz (“a fart”), presumably from Proto-Indo-European *pesd-, though this is disputed. One explanation for the association of farting with small dogs is given in an 1811 slang dictionary, which suggests that the dogs were blamed for farting, specifically defining fice as “a small windy escape backwards, more obvious to the nose than ears; frequently by old ladies charged on their lap-dogs.” Cognate terms include German Fist (“soft fart”), Danish fise (“to blow, to fart”) and Middle English askefise (“bellows”, literally “fire-blower, ash-blower”), from Old Norse; originally “a term of reproach among northern nations for an unwarlike fellow who stayed at home in the chimney corner”.
Etymology 2
From the German surname for stout people; see feist (“fat”).