来自PIE*paewr, 火,词源同pyre,empyrean. 该词在印欧语用来指无生命之火,而PIE*egni则用来指有生命之火,词源同ignite.
Brend child fuir fordredeþ ["The Proverbs of Hendyng," c. 1250]English fire was applied to "ardent, burning" passions or feelings from mid-14c. Meaning "discharge of firearms, action of guns, etc." is from 1580s. To be on fire is from c. 1500 (in fire attested from c. 1400, as is on a flame "on fire"). To play with fire in the figurative sense "risk disaster, meddle carelessly or ignorantly with a dangerous matter" is by 1861, from the common warning to children. Phrase where's the fire?, said to one in an obvious hurry, is by 1917, American English.