Learn English – What do you call someone who shoots fireworks professionally

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What is the name of the occupation for someone whose job it is to set up a fireworks display, fire it off for an event such as July 4th, and then tear it down? I have informally heard them called "pyros" but this seems to be more jargon than an actual name of an occupation.

Best Answer

Pyro is quite simply a shortening of the more ‘proper’ term, which is a pyrotechnician (also sometimes, though more rarely, called a pyrotechnist):

a person who is responsible for the safe storage, handling, and functioning of pyrotechnics and pyrotechnic devices.

Note that pyro can also be (and colloquially is probably more likely to be) a shortened form of pyromaniac, which is someone who likes to set things on fire. If context does not clearly show which you mean, you should always use the full word lest you be misunderstood.