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

Hoyer said the language Greene has used is far more incendiary than what King had said over the years.

From Washington Post

That would make sense as a candidate for Congress, but it seems a puzzling thing for someone in private life to delegate people not just to manage your accounts but also to post such incendiary things.

From Washington Post

Of the various flags paraded around the seat of the US legislative branch, the most incendiary was a battle pennant from the Confederate army.

From Quartz

Other teams reproduced only the spike protein to analyze for portions that are especially incendiary towards our immune system, which could spark a larger immune response.

From Singularity Hub 

It provided the kindling for an incendiary — and at times strikingly effective — reckoning with American racism.

From Vox

The Wolf of Wall Street is a dangerous, incendiary work of art.

From The Daily Beast

And social media in general has been blamed for making an incendiary situation in the Middle East even more tense.

From The Daily Beast

Even more incendiary, Barry asserts the FBI was actually trying to kill him.

From The Daily Beast

Does Israel offer up any facts to fortify his incendiary charge?

From The Daily Beast

Anwar looks and sounds like an accountant as he addresses a question no more incendiary than monetary debt, with charts included.

From The Daily Beast

The Roman capitol fired during the night by an incendiary and consumed.

From Project Gutenberg

Sentiments were offered and speeches made, which in other days would have been called incendiary.

From Project Gutenberg

The incendiary wagons were filled with the firebrands stamped 1912.

From Project Gutenberg

On the night of May 24 the city became a scene of incendiary rage.

From Project Gutenberg

The range was obtained by the aviators, and then incendiary bombs were fired.

From Project Gutenberg