## Meanings
1. Fairly hard and not easily pressed in or moved.
2. Strong and steady; not likely to change.
3. Definite and not going to be changed.
4. In a strong, determined way.

## Examples
- I prefer sleeping on a firm mattress.
- She has a firm grip on the rope.
- We have a firm agreement to meet next week.
- He stood firm and refused to change his mind.

## Synonyms
- decided

## Derived Forms
- firmish
- firmless
- firmly
- firmness
- firmographics
- firmware
- firmwide
- interfirm
- megafirm
- multifirm
- semifirm
- superfirm

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰer-
- Root: firma
- Root: firmāre
- Root: Firma

## Etymology
From Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name of business”). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which. Doublet of dharma and dhamma. Other cognates include Russian держать (deržatʹ, “to hold”).

## AI Etymology
Firm comes from Italian firma (“signature”), from firmare (“to sign”), from Latin firmāre (“to make firm, to confirm (by signature)”), from firmus (“firm, stable”). The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (“business, name of business”). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which. Doublet of dharma and dhamma. Other cognates include Russian держать (deržatʹ, “to hold”). In current use, the main senses are “Fairly hard and not easily pressed in or moved” and “Strong and steady; not likely to change”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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