fir

noun

ˈfər 

1

: any of a genus (Abies) of north temperate evergreen trees of the pine family that have flattish leaves, circular leaf scars, and erect female cones and are valued for their wood

also : any of various conifers (such as the Douglas fir) of other genera

2

: the wood of a fir

Examples of fir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other common fire-prone trees include cypress, firs, junipers and spruces, according to the National Forest Foundation. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025

As if its location on the edge of Mendocino’s famously wild and rocky coast was not enough, Jug Handle Creek Farm has 33 acres of fir forest and meadow as well as its own native plant nursery, community gardens, and nature trails. —Jenna Blough, Outside Online, 8 Apr. 2025

Each set of bones had been fitted into a tiny black coffin about two feet long, which in turn had been arranged in neat rows on the ground, each with a sprig of fir on top. —Malcolm Hillgartner Tanya Pérez Lance Neal, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025

There was only the dark trunk of a giant fir that jutted from the slope at the foot of the cliff. —Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fyrh; akin to Old High German forha fir, Latin quercus oak

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fir

• balsam fir
• Douglas fir
• Fraser fir
• grand fir
• silver fir
• subalpine fir
• white fir

Rhymes for fir

• birr
• blur
• bur
• cur
• er
• fur
• furr
• gurr
• her
• murr
• myrrh
• per

Kids Definition

fir

noun

ˈfər 

1

: any of various usually large evergreen trees related to the pines some of which yield useful lumber or resins

2

: the wood of a fir

Medical Definition

fir

noun

ˈfər 

: any tree of the genus Abies see balsam fir