fire-retardant

American  

[fahyuhr-ri-tahr-dnt] / ˈfaɪər rɪˌtɑr dnt /

adjective

1. able to slow or check the spread of destructive fire.

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Etymology

Origin of fire-retardant

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

PU foam is often treated with fire-retardant before being installed as a noise dampener in factories and entertainment venues.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

The ferocity of the fire has been blamed on a private contractor’s use of highly-flammable materials including polystyrene foam boards placed over windows and substandard scaffolding netting that failed to meet fire-retardant codes.

From Salon • Dec. 15, 2025

Fire-proof doors run from a few hundred dollars into the thousands, and fire-retardant sprinklers can cost tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the system.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

Nazir and his colleagues are behind another fire-protection innovation co-developed with the company Flame Security International -- a fire-retardant paint that is already commercially available in Australia.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

“But it’s not for a fixed safe, I don’t think. Nothing too big. Maybe something portable. Could be a safe-deposit box, actually. An old one. Or some kind of fire-retardant cabinet.”

From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer