fire engine

American  

[fahyuhr en-juhn] / ˈfaɪər ˌɛn dʒən /

noun

fire engines plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fire engines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fire engine

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fire engine

It said another factor was the lack of a transponder on the fire engine.

From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026

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

I says, and Mink gave them a cut and we went past her like a fire engine.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner