Fife

UK: 'fife', 'Fife': /faɪf/ US: /faɪf/ ,(fīf )

Inflections of 'fife' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

fifes

v 3rd person singular

fifing

v pres p

fifed

v past

fifed

v past p

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Fife / 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)

Fife / faɪf/ noun

1. Duncan

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

fife /faɪf/  n. [countable]

1. Music and Dance a small flute used in marching bands.

fif•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

fife  (fīf ), n., v., fifed, fif•ing. 
n. 

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

v.i., v.t. 

2. Music and Dance to play on a fife.

• German Pfeife pipe¹
• 1540–50

fif′er, n. 

Fife  (fīf ), n. 

Also called Fife•shire  (fīf′shēr, -shər). a historic county in E Scotland.
1. Place Names a region in E Scotland. 336,339;
   504 sq. mi. (1305 sq. km).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

Phyfe  (fīf ), n. 

1. Biographical Duncan, 1768–1854, U.S. cabinetmaker, born in Scotland.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fife / faɪf/ noun

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

verb

1. to play (music) on a fife

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old High German pfīfa; see pipe¹

ˈfifer noun

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Phyfe, Fife / faɪf/ noun

1. Duncan. ?1768–1854, US cabinet-maker, born in Scotland