arson

American  

[ahr-suhn] / ˈɑr sən /

noun

1. Law. the malicious burning of another's house or property, or in some statutes, the burning of one's own house or property, as to collect insurance.

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arson British  

/ ˈɑːsən /

noun

1. criminal law the act of intentionally or recklessly setting fire to another's property or to one's own property for some improper reason

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Other Word Forms

• arsonist noun
• arsonous adjective

Etymology

Origin of arson

First recorded in 1670–80; from Anglo-French, Old French, from Late Latin ārsiōn-, stem of ārsiō “a burn,” from ārs(us) “burned” (past participle of Latin ārd(ere) “to burn”; ardent ) + -iō -ion

Explanation

If you deliberately light logs on fire to roast marshmallows, you have camping skills. If you deliberately set your whole house on fire to collect the insurance money, you've committed arson. The noun arson comes from the Latin word ardere, meaning "to burn." Arson is the act of setting something on fire for a nefarious purpose, and it is, of course, illegal. If you live in a wildfire risk area, you know that sometimes wildfires are caused by natural causes like lightening, sometimes they're caused accidentally by carelessness, and sadly they're sometimes caused by a deliberate act of arson.

Example Sentences

Det Ch Supt Luke Williams said the Met was "aware of the significant concern" the incident will cause in the community, particularly in the wake of the arson attack in Golders Green last month.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

A man arrested over an arson attack on Jewish charity-owned ambulances in north London last month has been released on bail, the Metropolitan Police has said.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

After being treated at a hospital, Gallegos was booked into the West Valley Detention Center and charged with felony arson, the police said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Chamel Abdulkarim, a Highland resident who worked at the warehouse, is facing both state and federal arson charges for setting the fire.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Imam Malik is walking through the mosque, pointing at the ceiling, which has been damaged by flames, and talking with a police officer, who is then interviewed about the arson.

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• torching