Phrase guide

fire alarm

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An electromechanical or electronic bell, klaxon, chime, horn, speaker, strobe light or other device which warns people in a building etc. of a possible fire or other condition requiring evacuation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The sound or other warning made by a fire alarm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An emergency response to a fire by the fire department with manpower and equipment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: firefighting, government

Examples

  • A four fire-alarm fire ripped through a row of 2.5 story frame dwellings during the early morning hours

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an alarm that is tripped off by fire or smoke

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: smoke alarm

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: alarm, warning device, alarm system

5

noun

Meaning 5

a shout or bell to warn that fire has broken out

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: alarm, alert, warning signal, alarum

History

Etymology

From fire + alarm.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 火災報警器 /火灾报警器 (huǒzāi bàojǐngqì) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Chinese Mandarin: 火警 (huǒjǐng) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Danish: brandalarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Dutch: brandalarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Dutch: brandmelder — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Dutch: brandschel — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Faroese: eldvarnari — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Finnish: palohälytin — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Finnish: palovaroitin — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • French: alarme incendie — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • French: avertisseur d'incendie — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • German: Feueralarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • German: Feuermelder — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Greek: συναγερμός πυρκαγιάς (synagermós pyrkagiás) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Hungarian: tűzjelző — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Icelandic: brunaboði — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Ido: incendio-avertilo — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Irish: aláram dóiteáin — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Italian: allarme antincendio — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Japanese: 火災報知機 — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Japanese: 火災報知器 (kasai hōchiki) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Japanese: 火災警報機 — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Japanese: 火災警報器 (kasai keihōki) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Kazakh: өртхабарлағыш (örtxabarlağyş) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Khmer: សំឡេងរោទ៍ភ្លើង (sɑmleing roo phləəng) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Korean: 화재경보기 (hwajaegyeongbogi) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Malay: penggera kebakaran — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Norwegian Bokmål: brannalarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: brannalarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Plautdietsch: Aunmalda — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Portuguese: alarme de incêndio — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Russian: пожа́рная трево́га (požárnaja trevóga) — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Spanish: alarma de incendios — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Spanish: alarma anti-incendio — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Spanish: alarma antiincendios / contraincendios — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Swedish: brandlarm — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Tagalog: alarma sa usok — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Vietnamese: thiết bị báo cháy — device which warns people of a possible fire
  • Chinese Mandarin: 火災警報 /火灾警报 (huǒzāi jǐngbào) — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Danish: brandalarm — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Dutch: brandalarm — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Finnish: palohälytys — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • French: alarme incendie — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Irish: rabhadh dóiteáin — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Japanese: 火災警報 (kasai keihō) — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Korean: 화재경보 (hwajaegyeongbo) — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Norwegian: brannalarm — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Portuguese: alarme de incêndio — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Swedish: brandlarm — sound or other warning made by a fire alarm
  • Chinese Mandarin: 消防出動 /消防出动 (xiāofáng chūdòng) — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Chinese Mandarin: 火警出勤 (huǒjǐng chūqín) — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Danish: brandudrykning — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Danish: udrykning — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Finnish: hälytys — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Japanese: 火災警報 (kasai keihō) — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Korean: 화재경보 (hwajaegyeongbo) — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Norwegian: brannutrykning — response to a fire by the fire department
  • Swedish: brandkårsutryckning — response to a fire by the fire department