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.

Atop the aerial ladder of a bright red fire engine, a firefighter wrangles a hose.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

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

He saw a fire engine parked next to a hydrant on his street, and called for help.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 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

Bongo leaned close to the glass and performed her very best fire engine siren.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate

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