Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

firelock

/ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌlɑk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: fire-lock
IPA: /ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌlɑk/

17

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A form of gunlock, in which the priming is ignited by a spark.

noun

A firearm using such a gunlock.

Example Sentences

"He looked round for his gun, but in place of the clean well-oiled fowing-piece, he found an old firelock lying by him, the barrel encrusted with rust, the lock falling off, and the stock worm-eaten."
"Alfred, surprised to meet his father, whom he thought absent from home, […] stood, holding his firelock in one hand, and his hat in the other […]"
"Before we were out of the forest, however, we saw about ten peasants, some armed with firelocks [translating Feuer-rohren], others busy burying something."

Etymology

From fire + lock.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌlɑk/
British English: /ˈfaɪəlɒk/

Inflected Forms

firelocks (plural)

Synonyms

flintlock

Questions

How do you pronounce firelock?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌlɑk/.
What does firelock mean?: A form of gunlock, in which the priming is ignited by a spark.
Where does firelock come from?: From fire + lock.

How to pronounce firelock

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “firelock”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfaɪ(ə)ɹˌlɑk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “firelock”.
Repeat and practice — Say “firelock” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.