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

Early on May 20, 1910, at the foot of Vine Street along Elliott Bay, a kettle of melted asphalt sprang a leak, mushrooming into a “blazing pile of more than 100 tons of inflammable asphalt” and producing “the thickest smoke that ever rolled up from a city,” reported The Seattle Times.

From Seattle Times

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

From Reuters

Priyanka French, the head winemaker at the winery, is helping oversee the construction of what will be one of the most fireproof wineries ever built, she says they are only using inflammable materials and will produce most of the wine in underground caves, as a natural form of fire protection.

From BBC

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