Noun: firebug 'fI(-u)r,búg
- [informal] A criminal who illegally sets fire to property
"The firebug was caught on security cameras fleeing the burning building";
- arsonist, incendiary, fire-raiser [Brit]
- A true bug: brightly coloured bug that can exude a stain
"The firebug's bright coloration warned predators of its unpleasant taste"
Derived forms: firebugs
Type of: crim [Brit, informal], criminal, crook [informal], felon, heteropterous insect, malefactor [formal], outlaw
Part of: family Pyrrhocoridae, Pyrrhocoridae
Encyclopedia: Firebug