fir

[fur] /fɜr/

noun

any coniferous tree belonging to the genus Abies, of the pine family, characterized by its pyramidal style of growth, flat needles, and erect cones.

the wood of such a tree.

Origin

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-)

Can be confused

fir, fur.

FIR

far-infrared radiation.

Examples from the web for fir

Her mast is of a single fir tree, rather than of extruded aerospace alloy.
Eucalyptus branches and pods impart a blue glow to a simple fir wreath.
Miniature carnations and spiky fir needles create a wreath that's both fragrant and strikingly elegant.
Most of the interior walls are not full height, so the flowing fir ceiling appears to float above the rooms.
Every few minutes a fir ignites, flames devouring it in a rush of light, the roar of rockets.
Attach each stem to a sprig of fir by wrapping the two together several times with floral wire.
The squirrel is dependent for survival on spruce and fir forests that are peculiar to the mountain.
The fir deck is painted spruce gray to complement the periwinkle stucco walls screening the hot tub.
It's balsam fir branches stuck into a foam core, with fake holly berries and a red bow.
fir plywood gives this home a warm look for less than standard wood paneling.

British Dictionary definitions for fir

fir

/fɜː/

noun

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

any of various other trees of the family Pinaceae, such as the Douglas fir

the wood of any of these trees

Word Origin

Old English furh; related to Old Norse fura, Old High German foraha fir, Latin quercus oak

Word Origin and History for fir

14c.; Old English had furhwudu "pine wood," but the modern word is more likely from Old Norse fyri- "fir" or Old Danish fyr, all from Proto-Germanic *furkhon (cf. Old High German foraha, German Föhre "fir"), from PIE root *perkos, originally "oak" (cf. Sanskrit paraktah "the holy fig tree," Hindi pargai "the evergreen oak," Latin quercus "oak," Lombardic fereha "a kind of oak").

fir in Technology

1. Finite Impulse Response (filter).
2. Fast Infrared. Infrared standard from IrDA, part of IrDA Data. FIR supports synchronous communications at 4 Mbps (and 1.115 Mbps?), at a distance of up to 1 metre.
(1999-10-14)

Related Abbreviations for fir

FIR

far infrared

fir in the Bible

the uniform rendering in the Authorized Version (marg. R.V., "cypress") of _berosh_ (2 Sam. 6:5; 1 Kings 5:8, 10; 6:15, 34; 9:11, etc.), a lofty tree (Isa. 55:13) growing on Lebanon (37:24). Its wood was used in making musical instruments and doors of houses, and for ceilings (2 Chr. 3:5), the decks of ships (Ezek. 27:5), floorings and spear-shafts (Nah. 2:3, R.V.). The true fir (abies) is not found in Palestine, but the pine tree, of which there are four species, is common. The precise kind of tree meant by the "green fir tree" (Hos. 14:8) is uncertain. Some regard it as the sherbin tree, a cypress resembling the cedar; others, the Aleppo or maritime pine (Pinus halepensis), which resembles the Scotch fir; while others think that the "stone-pine" (Pinus pinea) is probably meant. (See PINE.)