Synonyms

fire engine

American

[fahyuhr en-juhn] / ˈfaɪər ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

a vehicle equipped for firefighting, now usually a motor truck having a motor-driven pump for shooting water or chemical solutions at high pressure.

fire engine British

noun

a heavy road vehicle that carries firefighters and firefighting equipment to a 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 engine

First recorded in 1670–80

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.

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, was woken up at 05:30 by the sound of a fire engine.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

It said another factor was the lack of a transponder on the fire engine.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Another filmed himself checking on his home, and you can see exactly what he sees when he comments “not a fire engine in sight.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Officers remained at the entrance of the former RAF base on Friday, and a fire engine and ambulance could be seen leaving the area while another police vehicle entered the site.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

Not an apple or a fire extinguisher, and definitely not the model fire engine that my sweet son made!

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

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