🚒 A female firefighter ⚾ A female relief pitcher 🔥 A woman tending fires

firewoman

7.5

A woman who shovels coal to keep the steam engine working on a train or ship

noun
/ˈfaɪərˌwʊmən/

Archaic

: fogonera

She worked as a firewoman on the steam locomotive, shoveling coal into the engine.

Examples

The firewoman skillfully managed the coal fire on the steamship.
The firewoman ensured the boiler maintained enough pressure throughout the journey.
During the war, many women took up roles as firewomen on ships and trains.
Did you see the firewoman at the train station?
As a firewoman, she worked tirelessly to keep the engine running smoothly by adding coal.
The crew relied on the firewoman to ensure the steamship's fire was always well-fed.
Every day, the firewoman prepared the steam locomotive by carefully managing the coal supply.

Synonyms

fireman

vsfirewoman

Archaic

8 3.4

A person who keeps the engine fire burning on steam trains

is the female-specific form rather than the male job title

stoker

vsfirewoman

Archaic

1 9.8

A person who tends and adds coal to a furnace on a steam train or ship

is the female-specific form rather than the gender-neutral job name

fireboy

vsfirewoman

Archaic

9.9

A boy who keeps the home fire burning so people stay warm

refers to an adult female worker rather than a young helper

Compounds

visiting firewoman

Archaic

9.9

A woman from another organization invited to give talks or advice

Surface Forms

firewoman singular

firewomen plural

Morphology

firewoman = fire + woman (transparent) = fire + woman

Literal compound meaning a woman employed to tend or manage fires (e.g., on a steamship); the occupational sense is directly inferred from the parts.

Etymology

Firewoman combines fire ('flame') and woman ('female person') and follows an old job name like fireman, who kept a steam engine's fire going. That's why a firewoman can mean a woman who shovels coal and tends the fire on a train or ship.