fire engine

American  

[fahyuhr en-juhn] / ˈfaɪər ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

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

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fire engine British  

noun

1. a heavy road vehicle that carries firefighters and firefighting equipment to a fire

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Etymology

Origin of fire engine

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

Imported Kei vehicles cost anywhere from $6,500 for an old mini van or above $10,000 for a Kei fire engine or lorry.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

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

The bell, which came from the first fire engine to arrive on the scene on 11 May 1985, was donated to the city by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

From BBC • May 11, 2025

There was a fire engine and some confused firemen.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy