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fire extinguisher

fire extinguisher

noun

a portable container, usually filled with special chemicals for putting out a fire.
fire-extinguisher

fire-extinguisher

noun

a portable device for extinguishing fires, usually consisting of a canister with a directional nozzle used to direct a spray of water, chemically generated foam, inert gas, or fine powder onto the fire

fire extinguisher

American

noun

a portable container, usually filled with special chemicals for putting out a fire.

fire-extinguisher British

noun

a portable device for extinguishing fires, usually consisting of a canister with a directional nozzle used to direct a spray of water, chemically generated foam, inert gas, or fine powder onto the fire

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fire extinguisher

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Her parents made sure she knew how to use a fire extinguisher, which was very heavy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Another sprayed a fire extinguisher, sending up a white cloud.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

He said he returned with a fire extinguisher and tried to fight the fire but he heard two explosions in the vape shop and had to turn around.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

This is like a fire extinguisher that requires a 48-hour waiting period.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025

The width of the crowd knocked the fire extinguisher from the wall in the stairwell.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023