Fire Island

English

Etymology

Perhaps from a misinterpretation of Dutch vijf (“five”) or vier (“four”), referring to the number of islands.

Proper noun

Fire Island

  1. The large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the south shore of Long Island, New York, United States.
    • 2025 June 11, Oliver Wainwright, “‘Made for sex’: the hedonistic party palaces of New York’s Fire Island – and the blond bombshell who made them”, in The Guardian‎[1], →ISSN:
      He stole his first Fire Island commission from another architect by seducing the clients, with whom he briefly formed a throuple. […] As Fire Island’s reputation grew, so did the fame of its residents. In 1977, after divorcing his first wife, Calvin Klein bought one of Gifford’s beachfront homes.

Usage notes

  • Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Long Beach Barrier Island, Jones Beach Island, and Westhampton Island, since the straits which separate these islands are ephemeral.

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