firey

English edit

Etymology edit

From fire +‎ -y (“diminutive suffix”).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ˈfaɪəɹi/
Audio (AU) (file)
Homophone: fiery
Rhymes: -aɪəɹi

Noun edit

firey (plural fireys)

(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

firie

Adjective edit

firey

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

fiery, reify