incendiary

[ in-sen-dee-er-ee ]

adjective

1. used or adapted for setting property on fire:

   incendiary bombs.

2. of or relating to the criminal setting on fire of property.
3. tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory:

   incendiary speeches.

4. tending to inflame the senses:

   an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.

noun

, plural in·cen·di·ar·ies.

1. a person who deliberately sets fire to buildings or other property, as an arsonist.
2. Military. a shell, bomb, or grenade containing napalm, thermite, or some other substance that burns with an intense heat.
3. a person who stirs up strife, sedition, etc.; an agitator.

incendiary

/ ɪnˈsɛndɪərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the illegal burning of property, goods, etc
2. tending to create strife, violence, etc; inflammatory
3. (of a substance) capable of catching fire, causing fires, or burning readily

noun

1. a person who illegally sets fire to property, goods, etc; arsonist
2. (esp formerly) a person who stirs up civil strife, violence, etc, for political reasons; agitator
3. Also calledincendiary bomb a bomb that is designed to start fires
4. an incendiary substance, such as phosphorus

Word History and Origins

Origin of incendiary¹

1600–10; < Latin incendiārius, equivalent to incendi ( um ) a fire ( incend ( ere ) to kindle ( in- in- ² + -cendere, transitive v. from base of candēre to shine, be hot; candent, candid, candor ) + -ium -ium ) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of incendiary¹

C17: from Latin incendiārius setting alight, from incendium fire, from incendere to kindle

Example Sentences

He kept escalating his incendiary comments while the Harris campaign focused on desperately trying to highlight how extreme, divisive and mendacious he was.

From Salon

Downplaying Trump’s incendiary threats of violence until just a few weeks before the election, provided both tacit and explicit sanction to xenophobic, racist and authoritarian impulses that have long simmered in the American undercurrent.

From Salon

Italy's incendiary political discourse shows no sign of dying down.

From BBC

Throughout the campaign, Trump used incendiary rhetoric – making crass jokes and threatening vengeance against his political enemies.

From BBC

Both also backed their incumbent council member, Kevin de León, who was embroiled in controversy for his part in a 2022 scandal involving a leaked audio recording with colleagues that contained incendiary remarks.

From Los Angeles Times