Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

smokey bear

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.26 in modern English

Syllables: smokey bear
IPA

21

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

1

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Alternative form of Smokey Bear (“highway patrolman”).

name

A fictional bear dressed as a ranger who acts as a symbol of forest fire prevention, with the slogan "Only you can prevent forest fires."

noun

A policeman, especially a highway patrol officer.

noun

A ranger or park service employee that deals with the public.

noun

noun

A campaign hat.

noun

An aircraft used to drop defoliants in the Vietnam War.

Slang

Example Sentences

"To protect themselves from the lurking police cruisers ("smokey bears"), truckers ("18-wheelers") purchased CB units in large numbers."
"Just a mention of the man's name conjures up visions of 18 wheelers, diesel smoke belching from stacks, smokey bears, CB radio and its almost unintelligible jargon and the endless ribbon of interstate highways that seemingly go on forever."
"Well, we gotta get to Big Bear Mountain before those smokey bears close off the entrance to the mountains."
"1994 marks the 50th anniversary of Smokey Bear, the world renowned symbol of forest fire prevention."
"Bambi was released in 1942, and two years later the Smokey Bear campaign to reduce forest fires began."
"Smokey Bear is a perfect example of how an advertising campaign can impact the public's perception of fire."

Etymology

From an ad campaign first introduced in 1944 by Foote, Cone and Belding in cooperation with the Forest Service and the Ad Council. The name was inspired by “Smokey” Joe Martin, a New York City Fire Department hero who suffered burns and blindness during a bold 1922 rescue. (Later, in 1950, an actual burned black bear cub was named Smokey and took on this symbolic role.)

Usage

Slang

Inflected Forms

smokey bears (plural) Smokey (alternative) Smokey the Bear (alternative)

Questions

What does smokey bear mean?: Alternative form of Smokey Bear (“highway patrolman”).
Where does smokey bear come from?: From an ad campaign first introduced in 1944 by Foote, Cone and Belding in cooperation with the Forest Service and the Ad Council. The name was inspired by “Smokey” Joe Martin, a New York City Fire Department hero who suffered burns and blindness during a bold 1922 rescue. (Later, in 1950, an actual burned black bear cub was named Smokey and took on this symbolic role.)

How to pronounce smokey bear

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