fire department
Americannoun
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the department of a municipal government charged with the prevention and extinguishing of fire.
-
the personnel in such a department.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of fire department
An Americanism dating back to 1815–25
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.
The local fire department said a second-floor section collapsed, leaving multiple people trapped inside as emergency responders worked to free them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
It will serve as a fallout shelter against deadly storms and also house the city's police department and the fire department that came to Benham's aid.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
With the help of City Manager Antony Lopez, he and other city officials set out to launch their own fire department.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
The fire department found “what appeared to be potentially dangerous explosives/fireworks” nearby.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Below me, the fire department stood staring in horror at their dry-rotted nets that had been torn to shreds.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
