nonflammable

American

[non-flam-uh-buhl] / nɒnˈflæm ə bəl /

adjective

not flammable; not combustible or easily set on fire.

nonflammable British

/ ˌnɒnˈflæməbəl /

adjective

incapable of burning or not easily set on fire; not flammable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nonflammable

First recorded in 1960–65; non- + flammable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The daylong effort is hazardous because of the high pressure used to test the system with helium, a nonflammable gas.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2024

Discovered in the 1920s by a chemist at General Motors, these compounds were odorless, nonflammable and seemingly nontoxic — all properties that made them useful to industry.

From Salon • May 23, 2023

Anhydrous ammonia is a colorless nonflammable liquefied gas.

From Washington Times • Sep. 3, 2022

When exposed to intense heat, they form a nonflammable shell called “char” that prevents flames from reaching the material underneath and resists the conduction of heat.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 6, 2022

But looking through it, I see it's all metal or nonflammable plastic.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023