firedamp
Americannoun
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a combustible gas consisting chiefly of methane, formed especially in coal mines, and dangerously explosive when mixed with certain proportions of atmospheric air.
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the explosive mixture itself.
noun
Etymology
Origin of firedamp
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
Authorities said initial indications were that the blast was caused by firedamp, a term referring to methane in coal mines.
From Reuters • Oct. 15, 2022
Turkey's energy minister said there were initial indications that the blast was caused by firedamp, which is methane forming an explosive mixture in coal mines.
From BBC • Oct. 14, 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
“Good lord, firedamp in a coal mine,” my father said.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
