# fife

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfaɪf/ · frequency rank #17,613

## Definitions
1. A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music

## Etymology
From German Pfeife (“whistle, smoking pipe”). Doublet of pipe.

## Easily confused with
- **fit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fit)
- **fix** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fix)
- **fig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fig)
- **fin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fin)
- **foe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-foe)
- **fir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fir)
- **fil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fil)
- **FIS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fis)
- **FTE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fte)
- **find** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-find)
- **free** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-free)
- **five** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-five)
- **fire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fire)
- **fine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fine)
- **film** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-film)
- **fish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fish)
- **firm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-firm)
- **file** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-file)
- **fill** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fill)
- **fits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fife-vs-fits)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ffie`, `ffife`, `fief`, `fiffe`, `iffe`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fife