noun
fir
FUR/fɜːr/
An evergreen coniferous tree with needle-shaped leaves.
A tall fir stays green throughout the cold winter months.
Etymology
Old Danish fyr already meant “fir” and is one possible source of the English name. The wider family of tree names reflects a shift from oaks and oak forests to conifers.
In context
dining on tender balsam fir needles, buds, and fallen leaves.
More examples
- Several firs grow along the mountain trail.
- We plant a young fir near the driveway.
- Snow weighs down the branches of the fir.
Forms
fir · firs
Similar words
- spruce
- A similar evergreen with stiff needles attached to woody pegs.
- pine
- An evergreen whose needles usually grow in bundles.