fire hydrant

American

noun

a hydrant for use in extinguishing fires.

fire hydrant British

noun

Also called (esp US and NZ): fireplug. a hydrant for use as an emergency supply for fighting fires, esp one in a street

"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 hydrant

First recorded in 1940–45

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.

In May, a well on the Pecos County property of Laura Briggs started spraying saltwater like a fire hydrant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

The Cybertruck careened instead into a fire hydrant, then a tree, before bursting into flames.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

They couldn't find the fire hydrant outside which delayed it even more.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2025

In a recent interview, Mr. Navarro recalled that, in a heated Oval Office argument, Mr. Cohn “lifted his leg on me,” making a gesture like a dog at a fire hydrant.

From New York Times • Dec. 4, 2024

At one point, when we reach a fire hydrant, Rollie peeing on it starts a whole domino effect.

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks

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