name · noun · 10 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ˈfaɪɹmən/
General-American:/-ˌmæn/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈfaɪəmən/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F AY1 R M AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A surname.
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
Someone (especially male) who is skilled in the work of fighting fire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: firefighting, government
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: firefighter, smoke eater
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A person (originally a man) who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler (originally, shoveling coal by hand), particularly on a railroad locomotive or steamship.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, rail-transport, railways, transport
Examples
(the latter is informal)
The fireman's job was about to get very interesting; they had just run out of coal!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stoker, bakehead
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An assistant on any locomotive, whether steam-powered or not.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: footplateman
5
noun
Meaning 5
A relief pitcher (reflecting the figurative analogy of rescuing the situation).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Narrower terms: fire chief, fire marshal, fire warden, forest fire fighter, ranger
9
noun
Meaning 9
a pitcher who does not start the game
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: reliever, relief pitcher
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pitcher, hurler, twirler
Narrower terms: closer, finisher
10
noun
Meaning 10
a laborer who tends fires (as on a coal-fired train or steamship)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stoker
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: laborer, manual laborer, labourer, jack
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *péh2wr̥ Proto-Germanic *fōr Proto-West Germanic *fuir Old English fȳr Middle English fyr English fire Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English fireman From fire + -man.
Across languages
Translations
66 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
пожарника́р
(požarnikár)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Danish:
brandmand
— male skilled in fighting fire
Dutch:
brandweerman
— male skilled in fighting fire
Finnish:
palomies
— male skilled in fighting fire
German:
Feuerwehrmann
— male skilled in fighting fire
Greek:
πυροσβέστης
(pyrosvéstis)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Hungarian:
tűzoltó
— male skilled in fighting fire
Icelandic:
slökkviliðismaður
— male skilled in fighting fire
Icelandic:
brunaliðsmaður
— male skilled in fighting fire
Irish:
fear dóiteáin
— male skilled in fighting fire
Irish:
fear tine
— male skilled in fighting fire
Italian:
pompiere
— male skilled in fighting fire
Latin:
siphonarius
— male skilled in fighting fire
Latin:
vigil
— male skilled in fighting fire
Latin:
ignīnus
— male skilled in fighting fire
Latvian:
ugunsdzēsējs
— male skilled in fighting fire
Macedonian:
пожа́рникар
(požárnikar)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Navajo:
kǫʼ yiniłtsésí
— male skilled in fighting fire
Navajo:
kǫʼ deiniłtsésí
— male skilled in fighting fire
Norwegian:
brannmann
— male skilled in fighting fire
Polish:
strażak
— male skilled in fighting fire
Portuguese:
bombeiro
— male skilled in fighting fire
Portuguese:
homem do fogo
— male skilled in fighting fire
Romanian:
pompier
— male skilled in fighting fire
Russian:
пожа́рный
(požárnyj)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Russian:
пожа́рная
(požárnaja)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Russian:
пожа́рник
(požárnik)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Russian:
пожа́рница
(požárnica)
— male skilled in fighting fire
Scottish Gaelic:
fear-smàlaidh
— male skilled in fighting fire
Serbo-Croatian:
ватрогасац
— male skilled in fighting fire
Serbo-Croatian:
vatrogasac
— male skilled in fighting fire
Spanish:
bombero
— male skilled in fighting fire
Swedish:
brandman
— male skilled in fighting fire
Volapük:
lefilahipoldan
— male skilled in fighting fire
Czech:
topič
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Danish:
fyrbøder
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Esperanto:
hejtisto
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Finnish:
lämmittäjä
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
French:
chauffeur
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
German:
Heizer
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Greek:
θερμαστής
(thermastís)
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Hebrew:
מַסִּיק
(masik)
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Hungarian:
fűtő
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Irish:
fear tine
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Macedonian:
ло́жач
(lóžač)
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Norwegian Bokmål:
fyrbøter
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Polish:
palacz
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Romanian:
fochist
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Russian:
кочега́р
(kočegár)
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Serbo-Croatian:
ло̀жа̄ч
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Serbo-Croatian:
lòžāč
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Spanish:
fogonero
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Swedish:
eldare
— person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler
Finnish:
lämmittäjä
— assistant on any locomotive
Hebrew:
מַסִּיק
(masik)
— assistant on any locomotive
Hungarian:
fűtő
— assistant on any locomotive
Polish:
palacz
— assistant on any locomotive
Romanian:
fochist
— assistant on any locomotive
Serbo-Croatian:
ло̀жа̄ч
— assistant on any locomotive
Serbo-Croatian:
lòžāč
— assistant on any locomotive
Spanish:
fogonero
— assistant on any locomotive
Swedish:
lokomotiveldare
— assistant on any locomotive