Standard Lemma guide

fire-breathing

adj · 3 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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1

adj

Meaning 1

That expels fire from the mouth and nostrils.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Qualifier: such as a dragon

Examples

  • a fire-breathing dragon

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

That emits or belches forth fire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literary, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

caustic, vitriolic or scathing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • a fire-breathing rant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From fire + breathing.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: агняды́шны (ahnjadýšny) — that emits flame
  • Ancient Greek: πυρίπνοος (purípnoos) — that emits flame
  • Gujarati: આગ-ફૂંકતું (āga-phū̃ktũ) — that emits flame
  • Irish: craoslasrach — that emits flame
  • Macedonian: огнодишен (ognodišen) — that emits flame
  • Russian: огнеды́шащий (ognedýšaščij) — that emits flame
  • Swedish: eldsprutande — that emits flame
  • Ukrainian: вогнеди́шний (vohnedýšnyj) — that emits flame