fire department
Americannoun
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the department of a municipal government charged with the prevention and extinguishing of fire.
-
the personnel in such a department.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of fire department
An Americanism dating back to 1815–25
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.
The local fire department said a second-floor section collapsed, leaving multiple people trapped inside as emergency responders worked to free them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
A number of police officers as well as rescue units from the fire department have been deployed to the area.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
When your home is burning, and the local fire department doesn’t show up, it burns down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The fire department found “what appeared to be potentially dangerous explosives/fireworks” nearby.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
"Don't just sit there," Catherine Theodorakis shouted, "somebody call the fire department."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
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.
