spitfire

[spit-fahyuh r]

See more synonyms for spitfire on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person, especially a girl or woman, who is of fiery temper and easily provoked to outbursts.
(initial capital letter) a British fighter plane with a single in-line engine used by the R.A.F. throughout World War II.

Origin of spitfire

First recorded in 1590–1600; spit¹ + fire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for spitfire

wench, fury, siren, hussy, bitch, hellion, carper, detractor, vixen, virago, nag, scold, battle-ax, biddy, harridan, harpy, madcap, termagant, backbiter, porcupine

Examples from the Web for spitfire

Contemporary Examples of spitfire

Get ready to bid farewell to the spitfire Bobby Bottleservice and big booty player Ref Jeff.
The Zany Shades of Nick Kroll
Abby Haglage
December 15, 2014
It was the cataclysmic collision of spitfire upstart performer, brilliant pop song, and cheeky music video.
Britney Spears’s ‘…Baby One More Time’ Turns 15: The Making of an Iconic Music Video
Kevin Fallon
October 23, 2013

Historical Examples of spitfire

At the next bench a tall mechanic was working with a part from a Spitfire.
A Yankee Flier Over Berlin
Al Avery
The eldest, James, who was in the Navy, commanded the Spitfire sloop-of-war.
Captain Cook
W.H.G. Kingston
Spitfire was conquered, and from that day he and Sam were the best of friends.
Winter Adventures of Three Boys
Egerton R. Young
But you and your wife must get away from this island soon after the Spitfire leaves.
Officer And Man
Louis Becke
The ever active and indefatigable little Spitfire joined the fleet.
The British Expedition to the Crimea
William Howard Russell

British Dictionary definitions for spitfire

spitfire

noun

a person given to outbursts of spiteful temper and anger, esp a woman or girl

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for spitfire

1600, from spit (v.) + fire (n.). Replaced earlier shitfire (cf. Florentine cacafuoco).