firedamp

American

[fahyuhr-damp] / ˈfaɪərˌdæmp /

noun

Mining.

a combustible gas consisting chiefly of methane, formed especially in coal mines, and dangerously explosive when mixed with certain proportions of atmospheric air.
the explosive mixture itself.

firedamp British

/ ˈfaɪəˌdæmp /

noun

a mixture of hydrocarbons, chiefly methane, formed in coal mines. It forms explosive mixtures with air See also afterdamp

"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 firedamp

First recorded in 1670–80; fire + damp

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.

OKD will now switch to processing purchased coal and producing heat using firedamp -- methane gas produced by coal-mining.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

The blast was believed to have been caused by firedamp, a term referring to methane in coal mines.

From Reuters • Nov. 1, 2022

An early assessment indicated that the explosion was likely caused by firedamp, which is a reference to flammable gases found in coal mines, according to Energy Minister Fatih Durmaz.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 14, 2022

Mixed with air in certain proportions, it becomes the dreaded firedamp of coal mines.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 3, 2017

“When a lamp burns with a blue haze you know there’s firedamp in the air.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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