combustible
Americanadjective
-
capable of catching fire and burning; inflammable; flammable.
Gasoline vapor is highly combustible.
-
easily excited.
a high-strung, combustible nature.
noun
adjective
-
capable of igniting and burning
-
easily annoyed; excitable
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of combustible
From the Late Latin word combūstibilis, dating back to 1520–30. See combust, -ible
Explanation
Combustible means "able to catch fire," like matches or the extremely dry forest floors that people sometimes forget are combustible — until they go up in flames. When the adjective combustible first entered the English language in the sixteenth century, it was used to describe things that burn easily. The word soon came to apply not only to objects that ignite but also to tempers that are prone to "catch fire" easily. If you’ve ever been around a person who has a combustible temper, you can understand the connection.
Vocabulary lists containing combustible
Automobiles
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100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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The Great Fire
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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.
Automakers are also racing to shift away from combustible engines under EU rules that call for 90 percent of all cars sold in the bloc to be electric by 2035.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
But his exacting standards and quick temper—to say nothing of his combustible relationship with the ensemble’s formidable chief executive, Ernest Fleischmann—resulted in Mr. Thomas’s unceremonious departure from the organization.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
McCraney has a way of drawing the best from actors in tight combustible spaces and Mann has a long history with Fugard.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
The combustible Russian has made no secret of his dislike of playing on clay, previously describing it as "a surface for losers".
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
On the day the fire started, over 55 miles of pine- block streets and 600 miles of wooden sidewalks bound the 23,000 acres of the city in a highly combustible knot.
From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy
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.
