English Reference
Noun

firecracker

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈfaɪɝˌkɹækɝ/ UK /fˈaɪəkɹækɐ/ fire·crack·er UK spelling firecrackers

n.a small, loud firework that explodes with a bang. It is often used to celebrate special events like New Year's Eve.

n.a small, noisy firework consisting of a paper tube filled with gunpowder and a fuse. Often used in the plural to describe a collection of such devices.


SIMPLE

The children were excited to light the firecrackers at midnight.

CONTEXTUAL

During the festival, the street was filled with the sound of firecrackers and the smell of gunpowder.

COMPLEX

While the display of large fireworks was impressive, the rhythmic popping of firecrackers provided a constant, energetic backdrop to the celebration.

After his victory was announced, hundreds of his supporters gathered in the capital, Lusaka, wearing the red colours of his United Party for National Development (UPND), singing, dancing and setting off firecrackers in celebration.

Al Jazeera· 18 Aug 2026

Eleven people have been killed as a firecracker factory in India exploded, leaving many injured and destroying several houses.

Al Jazeera· 31 Aug 2026

From fire + cracker.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated