firefighter

American  

[fahyuhr-fahy-ter] / ˈfaɪərˌfaɪ tɛr /

Or fire fighter

noun

• firefighters
  plural

1. a person who fights destructive fires.

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firefighter British  

/ ˈfaɪəˌfaɪtə /

noun

1. a person who fights fires, usually a public employee or trained volunteer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• firefighting
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• firefighters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of firefighter

First recorded in 1900–05; fire + fighter

Explanation

A firefighter is someone whose job involves investigating and putting out accidental blazes. If your gas stove ignites a towel and you can't put out the flames, call the firefighters! The word fireman is older than firefighter, which first appeared in the late 19th century, and for a long time it was much more commonly used. These days, it's more accurate to use firefighter, since men and women both work for fire departments battling fires. Also, the word perfectly describes the job itself, fighting dangerous fires.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

firefighter firefighters

Some students, like 18-year-old on-call firefighter Bobi Jones, haven't had the time to worry about results day.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

A Pasadena firefighter suffered an undisclosed leg injury during the rescue operation and was also taken to a local hospital for treatment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

"We're doing it for them, and they're almost ready to hand us the key to their houses," said fellow firefighter Teddy Rousselet.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

The California firefighter and Army reservist had recently bought a house in Coronado with his wife before he was deployed to the Philippines in 1941.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

“And on her wrist she has the Yarmouth firefighter badge. Most firefighters in town have one.”

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

According to city records, some of the work inside the warehouse began while city firefighters were still there, monitoring the blaze.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

In Hampshire, firefighters are continuing to tackle a wildfire in the New Forest for a sixth day.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

So far this summer, firefighters have mainly battled wildfires in rural areas and moorland across the country.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

An air ambulance landed close to the scene off Salcott Crescent as a precaution, alongside police, firefighters and paramedics.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

The firefighters charged upstairs, heavy hoses coiled over their shoulders.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers