ˈfēnd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English feend, fiend enemy, devil, demon, from Old English fēond, fīend; akin to Old High German fīant enemy, Old Norse fjāndi, Gothic fijands, all from the present participle of a Germanic verb represented by Old English fēon, fēogan to hate, Old High German fīēn, fījēn, Old Norse fjā, Gothic fijan; akin to Gothic foian to scorn, Sanskrit pīyati he scorns
1.
a. : the arch enemy of man : devil , satan
b. : an infernal being : demon
c. : a person of great wickedness or maliciousness
2. : a person excessively devoted to or captivated by a pursuit, practice, or object of study : fanatic , bug
a golf fiend
a target-shooting fiend
3. : a person who uses or consumes immoderate or excessive quantities
an aspirin fiend
a cigar fiend
a fiend for ice cream
4. : a person remarkably clever at some skill or study
a fiend at mathematics