fire department
Americannoun
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fire departments
plural
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the department of a municipal government charged with the prevention and extinguishing of fire.
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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.
Her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, worked for New York City’s fire department and was the parent she leaned on for emotional support.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Communities are kept alert about controlled burns through a website and mobile app run by the fire department.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The San Diego Fire Department was near the scene, responding to a brush fire “next to the plane crash area,” said Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for the fire department.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
A number of police officers as well as rescue units from the fire department have been deployed to the area.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
The first alarm reached the fire department at 1:32 P.M.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
