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

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Etymology

Origin of firefighter

First recorded in 1900–05; fire + fighter

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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

A third firefighter was injured by what he said felt like an electric shock while he was on an aerial ladder spraying water onto the building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Monique Collier, 37, a firefighter in the Washington, D.C., area, used to do 100 curls a week, but has since dropped down to 48 hammer curls once a week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Melyanti, a 25-year-old carer for the elderly and part-time firefighter, told AFP there were some in the community "who don't like our fire prevention activities".

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Florida firefighter sets record as shortest woman in profession.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

“And let us find you,” the firefighter added.

From "Forged by Fire" by Sharon M. Draper

More than 400 firefighters have been fighting the blaze.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Southern California braced for another day of Santa Ana winds as firefighters battled a fire burning in Malibu.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Istanbul municipal teams and firefighters were carrying out cleanup operations at schools, football pitches, garages and other sites on Thursday, pumping water out of flooded areas and clearing mud, an AFP photographer reported.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

"We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to the emergency services, gardaí, firefighters and medical personnel who responded to the scene and who have faced such distressing circumstances," the bishop added.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Then I saw Birmingham firefighters dressed in fire-battling suits and helmets, holding giant hoses.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

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