A portable device that contains a substance such as foam, powder, or carbon dioxide to put out small fires.
example
Im Notfall befindet sich ein Feuerlöscher auf jeder Etage des Gebäudes.
In an emergency, there is a fire extinguisher on every floor of the building.
Usage tips
Compound word
The word is composed of 'Feuer' (fire) and 'Löscher' (extinguisher). The part 'Löscher' comes from the verb 'löschen' (to extinguish). So a 'Feuerlöscher' (fire extinguisher) is literally a device that extinguishes fire.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Mitarbeiter muss wissen, wie man einen Feuerlöscher bedient.
Every employee must know how to operate a fire extinguisher.
Typical verbs
Common verbs in connection with a fire extinguisher are 'benutzen' (to use), 'einsetzen' (to deploy/use), or 'prüfen lassen' (to have inspected). In an emergency situation, people often say 'zum Feuerlöscher greifen' (to reach for the fire extinguisher).
EXAMPLE
Im Brandfall müssen Sie sofort zum Feuerlöscher greifen.
In case of fire, you must reach for the fire extinguisher immediately.
Use in a sentence
When fighting a fire with the device, you use the preposition 'mit' (with). The action itself is often described with the verb 'löschen' (to extinguish).
EXAMPLE
Die Feuerwehr konnte den kleinen Brand schnell mit einem Feuerlöscher löschen.
The fire department was able to quickly put out the small fire with a fire extinguisher.