firey

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From fire +‎ -y (diminutive suffix).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

firey (plural fireys)

  1. (Australia, colloquial) A firefighter.
    • 2006, Don Woodland, Simon Bouda, Salvation Army, Picking Up the Pieces: A Life of Care and Compassion, page 135:
      So if a firey was having difficulties, I could go into bat for him if I felt it was necessary.
    • 2010, Helen Thomas, Life with Rosie: The Highs and Lows of Raising a Racehorse, unnumbered page:
      ‘Just one of those things that happens on a day like this,’ one of the fireys says, staring at what was the back door of the car.
    • 2010, Karen Kissane, Worst of Days: Inside the Black Saturday Firestorm, unnumbered page:
      Kinglake West firey Chris Lloyd says the camaraderie is a critical ingredient of CFA life.

Alternative forms[edit]

Adjective[edit]

firey

  1. Misspelling of fiery.

Usage notes[edit]

The word fire and the fier- in the word fiery have counterintuitively different spellings. Furthermore, fire is traditionally one syllable (now usually two), while fiery is three. As such, it is easy to mistake fiery as a misspelling of fire + -y.

Anagrams[edit]