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

This year’s tree, a concolor fir, was donated by a family who runs the local Intown Tree Farm and grew from seeds planted in 2005 by an Allegany High School class. —Michele Herrmann, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

Sea oats and fir trees dance in the breeze as seagulls squawk in a bright blue sky and the mighty Pacific crashes against the jagged shoreline a few dozen yards away. —Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 12 Feb. 2025

Crickets chirp in the grass beside the driveway, which winds up a bluff, past two towering fir trees and a columned portico, to the side of the building. —Blaine Davis, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025

The two wolves who looked like siblings, stopped at the edge of the forest where a small stand of young fir trees where growing. —Stan Tekiela, Twin Cities, 6 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