FIRE

FIRE refers to an acronym meaning Financial Independence, Retire Early.

It can also be used as an adjective to mean awesome, lit, or quiche, as in "Those throw-back Nikes are fire." You don't say "on fire" or "fired up," just simply, fire.

Historical perspective: As of 2018 a growing number of young professionals are trying to leave the work world before they’re 40 according to The New York Times. Looking for “a way out of soul-sucking, time-stealing work,” they are embracing the burgeoning FIRE movement—“financial independence, retire early.” FIRE evangelists “geek out calculating compound interest” to maximize their savings and find the formula that lets them move from places such as Silicon Valley to more affordable towns.

Variations abound: There are advocates of “lean FIRE,” who believe in extreme frugality, “fat FIRE” who hold on in the work world long enough to keep up a higher standard of living, and even “barista FIRE,” who quit stressful jobs but work at Starbucks part-time for the health insurance. “We all know that a traditional retirement is a thing of the past,” said Elizabeth O’Brien in Money.com. FIRE enthusiasts are essentially saying, “Let’s just blow up the whole concept of career, and retirement, and start from scratch.” - As seen in The Week

Seen in texting, online chat, instant messaging, e-mail, blogs, newsgroup postings, and social media.