Skip to main content
pumper

pumper

2 5.5
A fire engine with a strong pump that supplies water to fight fires
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌmpər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : camión de bomberos
  • Pumper engine and Frank's ladder truck were rapidly guided into position by men on the ground.
  • pumper truck
  • pumper crew
  • fire pumper

Examples

  • A rookie firefighter shines chrome on the pumper.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • One, the fire department's new pumper.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "I'm part of the crew on a pumper truck.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • If it exploded, the pumper truck would provide the only water available.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The pumper went on to the hydrant.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Collins thanked the county Board of Commissioners for its approval of a new pumper for the department.

    Blog text (34)
  • Hoses are run from hydrants to the pumper trucks.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • One of those big bright red pumper trucks screamed into view, and the driveway was suddenly chock-full of firemen, medics, and cops.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • So Raed waited, watching the fireman atop the pumper truck hose down flames licking out of a crushed-accordion section.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The fire department quickly sent a pumper to extinguish the raging blaze in the warehouse.

Synonyms

fire truck
vspumper
  • US
30 1.8

A big vehicle that carries firefighters and tools to put out fires

is fitted with a powerful pump to supply water for firefighting
fire engine
vspumper
12 1.6

A large vehicle that carries firefighters and tools to fight fires

is mainly defined by having a high capacity water pump onboard
firetruck
vspumper
  • US
4 1.4

A large truck that carries firefighters and water to a fire

is designed mainly to pump large amounts of water for extinguishing

How Powerful

pumper
  • Specialized
2 5.5
fire hose
6 2.3

Surface Forms

pumper singular
pumpers plural

Morphology

pumper = pump (semi-transparent) = pump + er

The form is clearly built from 'pump' + '-er', but the specialized fire-engine sense is a narrower technical extension.

Etymology

Pumper names a fire engine with a strong pump and comes from pump (meaning 'to push or move water') plus the ending -er ('one that does'), so a pumper is the vehicle that 'pumps' water to fight fires.