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Fireman vs Wireman - What's the difference?

fireman | wireman |

As nouns the difference between fireman and wireman

is that fireman is someone (implied male) who is skilled in the work of fighting fire while wireman is someone who works with wire; primarily someone who connects electric wiring.

fireman

English

(wikipedia fireman)

Noun

(firemen)
  • (firefighting) Someone (implied male) who is skilled in the work of fighting fire.
  • (rail transport) A man who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler (originally, shoveling coal by hand), particularly on a railroad locomotive.
  • * ca. 1913 The wreck of Old 97 [ballad, Blue Ridge Mountains], verse 3:
    • He looked around his cab at his black greasy fireman, saying 'shovel on a little more coal, and when we cross that White Oak Mountain, you can watch Old 97 roll'.
  • (rail transport) By extension of the above, an assistant on any locomotive, whether steam-powered or not.
  • (baseball) A relief pitcher.

    • Usage notes

    Historically meant only a man, now used to refer to female firefighters as well. In modern usage, the gender-inclusive term firefighter is generally preferred.

    Antonyms

    * firewoman

    Hypernyms

    * firefighter * smoke eater

    Related terms

    * fire truck * fire engine * fire extinguisher * fire hose * fire station * fire hydrant * fireplug

    See also

    * tillerman * stoker English nouns with irregular plurals

    wireman

    English

    Noun

    (wiremen)
  • Someone who works with wire; primarily someone who connects electric wiring.