fir
1 Americannoun
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any coniferous tree belonging to the genus Abies, of the pine family, characterized by its pyramidal style of growth, flat needles, and erect cones.
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the wood of such a tree.
abbreviation
noun
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any pyramidal coniferous tree of the N temperate genus Abies , having single needle-like leaves and erect cones: family Pinaceae See also red fir silver fir balsam fir
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any of various other trees of the family Pinaceae , such as the Douglas fir
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the wood of any of these trees
Etymology
Origin of fir
1250–1300; Middle English firre, Old English fyrh; cognate with Old Saxon furie; akin to Old English furh- (in fuhrwudu pine), Old Norse fura fir, Latin quercus oak (< *perkwu- )
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 Douglas fir was the focus of their study.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
The Montana ranch where he lives now, surrounded by fir and pine trees, the shadows of the Bitterroots and silence, is the perfect retirement home, although it’s one Vachon found more by accident than design.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
Ford’s fir and birch-burners are radiant examples of human-made art triumphing over digital manufacture.
From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025
Forest is more valuable there than in the South due to high prices for logs from Douglas fir trees that often are exported to Asia.
From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025
It looked like a blurry part of the ground, like a puff of fir needles and leaves and grass blades.
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
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.
