French word

pompier

Pronunciation

IPA/pɔ̃pje/

Meaning

  • masculine nounfirefighter

Example

Le pompier a sauvé le chat.

The firefighter saved the cat.

Illustration for pompier (firefighter)

More examples

Un pompier de garde a répondu à l'appel.

A firefighter on duty responded to the call.

Core concept

A firefighter at an emergency uses equipment to control danger and rescue people.

Common phrases

  • pompier de garde

    firefighter on duty

  • camion de pompier

    fire truck

  • caserne de pompier

    fire station

Similar words

sapeur-pompier: A firefighter assigned to a fire station who takes part in organized fire and rescue work.
ambulancier: An ambulance professional who safely transports sick or injured people from the scene to hospital.
secouriste: A first aider who gives injured people emergency care at events or other scenes.

Definition in French

Personne, professionnelle ou volontaire, chargée d'intervenir pour éteindre les incendies et porter secours en situation d'urgence.

Word origin

French pompier comes from pompe, a pump, with the agent-forming suffix -ier, and it came to denote a person who operates a pump before specializing in firefighting.

Usage tips

  • Pompier is masculine, so the usual forms are un pompier and une pompière, although une femme pompier also occurs.

Opposites

Related words

  • sapeur-pompierfirefighternoun

Word lists with this word