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Definition of 'fir'

Word Frequency

fir

(fɜːʳ )

Word forms: plural firs

variable noun

A fir or a fir tree is a tall evergreen tree that has thin needle-like leaves.

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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fir

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Word Frequency

fir in British English

(fɜː )

noun

1.

any pyramidal coniferous tree of the N temperate genus Abies, having single needle-like leaves and erect cones: family Pinaceae

See also red fir, silver fir, balsam fir

2.

any of various other trees of the family Pinaceae, such as the Douglas fir

3.

the wood of any of these trees

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Word origin

Old English furh; related to Old Norse fura, Old High German foraha fir, Latin quercus oak

Word Frequency

fir in American English 1

(fɜr )

noun

1.

any of a genus (Abies) of cone-bearing evergreen trees of the pine family, having flattened needles and upright cones whose scales fall off at maturity

2.

any of various other coniferous trees, as the Douglas fir

3.

the wood of any of these trees

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Derived forms

firry (ˈfirry)

adjective

Word origin

ME firre < OE fyrh, akin to Ger föhre < IE base *perkwus, name of the tree, oak > L quercus, oak

Word Frequency

fir in American English 2

firkin

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Word Frequency

fir in American English

(fɜːr)

noun

1.

any coniferous tree belonging to the genus Abies, of the pine family, characterized by its pyramidal style of growth, flat needles, and erect cones

2.

the wood of such a tree

Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Word origin

[1250–1300; ME firre, OE fyrh; c. OS furie; akin to OE furh- (in fuhrwudu pine), ON fura fir, L quercus oak (‹ *perkwu-)]

Examples of 'fir' in a sentence
fir

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…

Wire together dried fruit and fir cones and use to fill any gaps.You cannot therefore simply complain that the fir tree blocks the light to your garden or patio.We stare through the drizzle at a scarred fir tree.The fir trees of the mobile forest lay flattened and scorched.It was a frosty night and fir trees sparkled with a dusting of snow.Holly or branches from fir trees work best but any greenery will do.He had seen the dark shapes of the fir trees only a moment or so before hitting them.People who live near a fir wood can sometimes hear a weird cooing coming from it in the middle of the night.We bounced between fir trees, then burst out on to the shores of a lake.The darling yellow trumpets are thrusting up in fir and birch woods across Scotland for our delight.

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Word lists with
fir

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

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Score: 0 / 5

Which type of wood am I?

the wood of any of these plants

hardwood hemlock thorn

Which type of wood am I?

the dark striped wood of the tropical American leguminous tree, Andira inermis, used for cabinetwork

brazil partridge-wood rosewood

Which type of wood am I?

an Australian tree, Ceratopetalum apetalum, yielding light aromatic wood used for furniture, turnery, etc

coachwood stinkwood walnut

Which type of wood am I?

the very light wood of this tree, used for making rafts, etc

balsa ribbonwood tulipwood

Which type of wood am I?

the wood of this tree, used by North American Indians for building and for carving totem poles

sandalwood walnut western red cedar

Your score:

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fir

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In other languages
fir

British English: fir /fɜː/ NOUN

A fir is a tall evergreen tree that has thin needle-like leaves.

American English: fir /ˈfɜr/
Brazilian Portuguese: abeto
Chinese: 枞树
European Spanish: abeto
French: sapin
German: Tanne
Italian: abete
Japanese: モミ
Korean: 전나무
European Portuguese: abeto
Latin American Spanish: abeto
Thai: ต้นสน

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fir

Related terms of
fir

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Definition of fir from the Collins English Dictionary

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groan or grown?

Which version is correct?

He began to groan with pain. He began to grown with pain.

bloc or block?

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We walked around the bloc three times. We walked around the block three times.

cornflour or cornflower?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

cornflour

cornflower

Blend the with a little milk.

paw or pour?

Which version is correct?

He removes a thorn from a lion's paw. He removes a thorn from a lion's pour.

broke or broken?

Which version is correct?

The lead biker broke his bike chain. The lead biker broken his bike chain.

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Jun 26, 2021

Word of the day

astrobleme

a mark on the earth's surface, usually circular , formed by a large ancient meteorite impact

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Scrabble score
for 'fir':
6

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

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Score: 0 / 5

lead or led?

Which version is correct?

The water flowed through old-fashioned lead pipes. The water flowed through old-fashioned led pipes.

pail or pale?

Which version is correct?

Ben put the pail down beside the vet. Ben put the pale down beside the vet.

larva or lava?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

lava

larva

Rivers of flowed down the volcano.

weather or whether?

Drag the correct answer into the box.

weather

whether

Fishing is possible in virtually any .

flew or flu?

Which version is correct?

Both of us had come down with the flew. Both of us had come down with the flu.

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