arson
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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”; cf. 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.
Vocabulary lists containing arson
Born a Crime
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The Hate U Give
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Flush
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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.
See Examples For:
Shania Care-Slede, 20, from Hyde, was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of arson related to the Dovestone fire.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
One major concern stemming from wildfire prediction markets is arson.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
During the interview, investigators asked Rinderknecht why someone might commit arson in Pacific Palisades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
Haney spent much of the trial focused on the unorthodox nature of an arson investigation that started after a second fire had consumed the initial crime scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Though he found no concrete evidence of arson, Cowie believed Holmes or an accomplice had started the fire.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Jane Lee from the Keighley Civic Society has previously called for more security measures at the mill to prevent further trespass and arsons.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2024
In addition to the arsons, protests gathering a few hundred people have also been organized in Brussels.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2023
There were 18 reports of arson for 2022, twice the total of 2021 and 61% higher than the 11 arsons reported in 2018.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 14, 2022
He thinks the person responsible could have been one of those detained last month in a string of arsons in North Hollywood, or possibly someone evicted from the house in the flyer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2022
On Mars there are no murders, arsons, robberies, forgeries, slanders, and other crimes and misdeeds, for they have progressed beyond them.
From A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead by Helleberg, C. G. (Carl Gustaf)
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.
