firm

The word “firm” means a business, especially one run as a partnership, such as a law or accounting practice. In plain terms, as a noun, a company (often professional services); as an adjective, solid, steady, and not easily swayed.

“Firm” is pronounced furm (/fɜɹm/ in IPA).

Here is “firm” used in a sentence: “She made partner at the law firm after eight years.”

Words with a similar meaning to “firm” include decided.

Depending on how it is used, “firm” can be a noun, an adjective and a verb.

The word “firm” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Latin. From Italian firma ("signature"), from Latin firmus ("stable, strong"); the business sense developed in the 1700s from the idea of a name a company trades and signs under.

“Firm” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Firm” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a business, especially one run as a partnership, such as a law or accounting practice.

The words overlap, but a 'firm' traditionally means a business built on a partnership, especially in professional services like law, accountancy, or consultancy. A 'company' is any commercial organisation, usually incorporated with shareholders. All firms are businesses, but people rarely call a factory or a shop a 'firm'.

Typical firms are professional practices: a law firm, an accounting firm, a consulting firm, or an architecture firm. These are usually partnerships where several qualified professionals share ownership and profits. The word suits service-based businesses more than manufacturers or retailers, which are more often called companies.

A firm is a type of business, but not every business is called a firm. 'Business' is the widest term, covering everything from a market stall to a multinational. 'Firm' usually implies a professional partnership offering services. So a firm is always a business, but the reverse is not always true.