# fight

> English word · Verb · IPA /faɪt/ · frequency rank #585

## Definitions
1. Senses relating to physical conflict:
2. Senses relating to physical conflict:
3. Senses relating to physical conflict:
4. Senses relating to physical conflict:
5. Senses relating to physical conflict:
6. To strive for something; to campaign or contend for success.
7. To try to overpower; to fiercely counteract.
8. Of colours or other design elements: to clash; to fail to harmonize.

## Etymology
From Middle English fighten (“to fight”), from Old English feohtan (“to fight, combat, strive”), from Proto-West Germanic *fehtan (“to fight”), from Proto-Germanic *fehtaną (“to comb, tease, shear, struggle with”), from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“to comb, shear”).
Cognate with Scots fecht (“to fight”), West Frisian fjochtsje, fjuchte (“to fight”), Dutch vechten (“to fight”), Low German fechten (“to fight”), German fechten (“to fight, fence”), Danish fægte (“to fence, to fight (using blade weapons)”), Norwegian fekte (“to fence”), Swedish fäkta (“to fence, to fight (using blade weapons), to wave vigorously (and carelessly) with one's arms”), Latin pectō (“comb, thrash”, verb), Albanian pjek (“to hit, strive, fight”), Ancient Greek πέκω (pékō, “comb or card wool”, verb). Related also to Old English feht (“wool, shaggy pelt, fleece”).

## Easily confused with
- **fit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fit)
- **fish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fish)
- **fist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fist)
- **figs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-figs)
- **first** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-first)
- **fishy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fishy)
- **filet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-filet)
- **flight** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-flight)
- **fought** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fought)
- **fights** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fights)
- **fright** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fright)
- **fighter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-fighter)
- **flights** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-flights)
- **freight** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fight-vs-freight)
- **fig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fig-vs-fight)
- **fiat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fiat-vs-fight)
- **fidget** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fidget-vs-fight)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ffight`, `fgiht`, `figght`, `fighht`, `fightt`, `figth`, `fihgt`, `ifght`

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