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Synonyms

ignition

American  
[ig-nish-uhn] / ɪgˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

  1. the act or fact of igniting; state of being ignited.

  2. a means or device for igniting.

  3. (in an internal-combustion engine) the process that ignites the fuel in the cylinder.

ignition British  
/ ɪɡˈnɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act or process of initiating combustion

  2. the process of igniting the fuel in an internal-combustion engine

  3. the devices used to ignite the fuel in an internal-combustion engine

"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

Other Word Forms

  • reignition noun

Etymology

Origin of ignition

1605–15; Medieval Latin ignītiōn- (stem of ignītiō ) a setting on fire. See ignite, -ion

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 engines enable faster missile launches as they require little preparation before ignition.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Each person had a specific task, from hand-carrying the ignition devices into the EU, to supplying cars.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

But despite the assemblage of first-rate parts, ignition proves elusive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

These experimental results offer new physical insight into how the long-standing density barrier in tokamak operation might be broken in the pursuit of fusion ignition.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2026

Before starting the ignition, Mr. Kapasi reached back to make sure the cranklike locks on the inside of each of the back doors were secured.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.