A small dog, especially a feisty or scrappy one; also spelled 'fice' or 'fyce'.
Likely from German 'Feist' or related to words meaning 'small.' The term became common in American Southern dialect, particularly in reference to hunting dogs or scrappy yard dogs.
The term 'feist' has roots in both German immigrant communities and frontier American culture, where these small but spirited dogs were valued for hunting and companionship despite their size!
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