Origin of firm

1
1300–50; < Latin firmus; replacing Middle English ferm < Middle French < Latin

SYNONYMS FOR firm

1 Firm, hard, solid, stiff are applied to substances that tend to retain their form unaltered in spite of pressure or force. Firm often implies that something has been brought from a yielding state to a fixed or elastic one: An increased amount of pectin makes jellies firm. Hard is applied to substances so resistant that it is difficult to make any impression upon their surface or to penetrate their interior: as hard as a stone. Solid is applied to substances that without external support retain their form and resist pressure: Water in the form of ice is solid. It sometimes denotes the opposite of hollow: a solid block of marble. Stiff implies rigidity that resists a bending force: as stiff as a poker.
2 fast, stable, immovable.
4 established, confirmed.
5 determined, immovable, staunch, reliable.

OTHER WORDS FROM firm

firm·ly, adverb firm·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for firmly

British Dictionary definitions for firmly (1 of 2)

firm 1
/ (fɜːm) /

adjective

adverb

in a secure, stable, or unyielding manner he stood firm over his obligation to pay

verb

(sometimes foll by up) to make or become firm
(intr) Australian horse racing (of a horse) to shorten in odds

Derived forms of firm

firmly, adverb firmness, noun

Word Origin for firm

C14: from Latin firmus

British Dictionary definitions for firmly (2 of 2)

firm 2
/ (fɜːm) /

noun

a business partnership
any commercial enterprise
a team of doctors and their assistants
British slang
  1. a gang of criminals
  2. a gang of football hooligans

Word Origin for firm

C16 (in the sense: signature): from Spanish firma signature, title of a partnership or business concern, from firmar to sign, from Latin firmāre to confirm, from firmus firm