inflammable

[ in-flam-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable.
2. easily aroused or excited, as to passion or anger; irascible:

   an inflammable disposition.

   Synonyms: choleric, volatile, fiery

noun

1. something inflammable.

inflammable

/ ɪnˈflæməbəl /

adjective

1. liable to catch fire; flammable
2. readily aroused to anger or passion

noun

1. something that is liable to catch fire

Usage

See flammable

Confusables Note

Inflammable and flammable both mean “combustible.” Inflammable is the older by about 200 years. Flammable now has certain technical uses, particularly as a warning on vehicles carrying combustible materials, because of a belief that some might interpret the intensive prefix in- of inflammable as a negative prefix and thus think the word means “noncombustible.” Inflammable is the word more usually used in nontechnical and figurative contexts: The speaker ignited the inflammable emotions of the crowd.

Derived Forms

• inˈflammably, adverb
• inˌflammaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• in·flamma·bili·ty in·flamma·ble·ness noun
• in·flamma·bly adverb
• nonin·flamma·bili·ty noun
• nonin·flamma·ble adjective
• nonin·flamma·ble·ness noun
• nonin·flamma·bly adverb
• unin·flamma·bili·ty noun
• unin·flamma·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inflammable¹

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin inflammābilis, equivalent to Latin inflammā ( re ) to inflame + -bilis -ble

Example Sentences

In addition, they contain no easily inflammable liquids.

From Science Daily

In the case of inflammable and toxic chemicals, the river is often the only viable option for transport.

From Reuters

The president's remarks are meant to calm a potentially inflammable atmosphere in Nanterre, near the La Défense business district, and other Paris suburbs, where the killing of Nahel has triggered strong emotions.

From BBC

By late summer, his designs for a new, inflammable King County Courthouse were adopted, and construction soon commenced atop First Hill.

From Seattle Times

Adams let out the word that Jefferson was clearly the voters’ choice and the superior man, that Burr was “like a balloon, filled with inflammable air.”

From Literature