noun
spitfire
Spitfire (noun) means someone with a fiery, quick temper, especially a strong-willed woman or girl. Example: “His grandmother was a spitfire well into her nineties.”
noun
1
Someone with a fiery, quick temper, especially a strong-willed woman or girl.
"His grandmother was a spitfire well into her nineties."
2
Capitalized: the iconic British single-seat fighter plane flown during World War II.
"The museum has a restored Spitfire from the Battle of Britain."
How to use spitfire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a fiery-tempered person, or (capitalized) the famous British WWII fighter aircraft.
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Word forms
- Plural
- spitfires
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His grandmother was a _____ well into her nineties.
Etymology
A compound of spit and fire, originally used for a fierce, hot-tempered person or thing before being adopted as the name of the WWII fighter plane.
Rhymes for spitfire
See all rhymes for spitfire →Frequently asked questions
What does “spitfire” mean?
The word “spitfire” means someone with a fiery, quick temper, especially a strong-willed woman or girl. In plain terms, either a fiery-tempered person, or (capitalized) the famous British WWII fighter aircraft.
How do you use “spitfire” in a sentence?
Here is “spitfire” used in a sentence: “His grandmother was a spitfire well into her nineties.”
What part of speech is “spitfire”?
“Spitfire” is a noun.
How many meanings does “spitfire” have?
“Spitfire” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: someone with a fiery, quick temper, especially a strong-willed woman or girl.
