FIFE, originally the small primitive cylindrical transverse flute, now the small Bb military flute, usually conoidal in bore, used in a drum and fife band. The pitch of the fife lies between that of the concert flute and piccolo. The words fife and the Fr. fi f re were undoubtedly derived from the Ger. P f ei ff . The O.E. spelling was plii f e, phiphe, or if y ff e. The fife was in use in England in the middle of the i6th century. At the battle of St. Quentin (I 5 5 7 ) the list of the English army employed states that one trumpet was allowed to each cavalry troop of i oo men, and a drum and fife to each ioo of foot. A drumme and phi f e were also employed at one shilling per diem for the "Trayne of Artillery." This was the nucleus of the modern military band.