People who play the fife, a small flute-like musical instrument often used in military bands.
From fife (a Germanic origin word related to pipe) plus -er (one who does) plus -s (plural). The fife became popular in medieval Europe and was especially used in military contexts.
Fifers were essential in military regiments because their high-pitched instruments could be heard above the noise of battle—they were basically the loudspeakers before electricity existed.
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