fir, firre, fyr, fyrre

[A. S. furh, in the compound furh - wuder =firwood; cogn. with Dan. fyr; Icel. fur a; Sw. furu; Ger. föhre; Wel. pyr; Lat. quercus =an oak; M. H. Ger. vor he.] A. As substantive: Botany and Ordinary Language: 1. A name popularly given to many coniferous trees, Pinus, Abies, Larix. (See the compounds.) 2. A name limited by botanists to the true genus Abies, which formerly was merged in that of Pinus, but now is made distinct. 3. The wood of the trees mentioned under No. 1. B. As adj.: Consisting of fir, derived from fir. (1) Abies balsamea is popularly known as the Balm of Gilead fir; A. nigra as the Black Spruce fir; A. clan brasil i an a as the Clan brazil fir; A. frazeri as the Double Balsam fir; A. can a dens is as the Hemlock Spruce fir; A. larix (called by Decandolle Larix europæa ) as the Larch fir; 4 . excels a as the Norway or Common Spruce fir; A. rubra as the Red Spruce fir; Pinus sylvestris as the Scotch fir; Abies pice a as the Silver fir; and A. alba as the White Spruce fir. (2) Joint firs : Bot .: The name given by Lindley to the order Gnetacere (q. v.). (3) Stone fir : Bot.: Allosorus crisp us. It is to this species, which is a fern, that, according to Pratt, Southey gives the name. ( Britten & Holland .)