firefight

American  

[fahyuhr-fahyt] / ˈfaɪərˌfaɪt /

noun

1. an exchange of gunfire between two opposing forces, especially a skirmish between military forces.

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firefight British  

/ ˈfaɪəˌfaɪt /

noun

1. a brief small-scale engagement between opposing military ground forces using short-range light weapons

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Etymology

Origin of firefight

First recorded in 1895–1900; fire + fight

Example Sentences

“That’s what makes fighting a fire like this different, as opposed to mainland firefight where we can drive in trucks and equipment,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

After briefly stumbling from a Matias combination, an unfazed Smith came roaring back in a fifth-round firefight.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026

The bizarre single-tree fire has now become an almost weeklong firefight in Coos County, Ore., as the hot spot continues to burn approximately 280 feet up on the side of the arboreal giant.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2025

Rockwell said additional fire crews from the Bureau of Land Management and San Bernardino County had been called in to assist with the firefight.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2025

But a few months earlier, Allen had been in a desperate firefight along with two white guys from his platoon.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge