firebrand
/ˈfaɪɚ.bɹænd/noun
firebrand is spelled F-I-R-E-B-R-A-N-D: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 51,738th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, firebrand means “A torch or other burning stick with a flame at one end” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of firebrand is firebrands.
How many letters and syllables are in firebrand?
| Letters | 9: F-I-R-E-B-R-A-N-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 51,738th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is firebrand?
Firebrand appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 51,738th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce firebrand?
- UK /ˈfaɪə.bɹænd/
- US /ˈfaɪɚ.bɹænd/
Firebrand has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-firebrand.ogg, En-au-firebrand.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of firebrand
- firebrands plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does firebrand mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A torch or other burning stick with a flame at one end.
The crowd cheered as a firebrand was tossed onto the huge pile of wood to start the traditional homecoming bonfire.
- 2
An argumentative troublemaker or revolutionary; one who agitates against the status quo.
The member of the college's Communist League was a firebrand who would launch a sit-in or protest march at a moment's notice.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Firebrand in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | agitateur, trublion , torche, tison, brandon |
| German | Aufrührer, Aufwiegler, Rädelsführer, Radikalinski, Sponti |
| Spanish | instigador, agitador , tea, tizón, teda |
| Portuguese | brandão, facho, tocha |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does firebrand come from?
From Middle English fyr-brand, furbrond, equivalent to fire + brand. Cognate with German Feuerbrand (“firebrand”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).