fir
1 Americannoun
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any coniferous tree belonging to the genus Abies, of the pine family, characterized by its pyramidal style of growth, flat needles, and erect cones.
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the wood of such a tree.
abbreviation
noun
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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
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any of various other trees of the family Pinaceae , such as the Douglas fir
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the wood of any of these trees
Etymology
Origin of fir
1250–1300; Middle English firre, Old English fyrh; cognate with Old Saxon furie; akin to Old English furh- (in fuhrwudu pine), Old Norse fura fir, Latin quercus oak (< *perkwu- )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Douglas fir was the focus of their study.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
A canopy of Jeffrey pine, red fir and incense cedar shaded the trail.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 28, 2025
Ford’s fir and birch-burners are radiant examples of human-made art triumphing over digital manufacture.
From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025
Forest is more valuable there than in the South due to high prices for logs from Douglas fir trees that often are exported to Asia.
From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025
“Got this outta the library — Dragon Breeding fir Pleasure and Profit — it’s a bit outta date, o’ course, but it’s all in here.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
