conflagration

American  

[kon-fluh-grey-shuhn] / ˌkɒn fləˈgreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a destructive fire, usually an extensive one.

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conflagration British  

/ ˌkɒnfləˈɡreɪʃən /

noun

1. a large destructive fire

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Related Words

See flame.

Other Word Forms

• conflagrative adjective

Etymology

Origin of conflagration

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin conflagrātiōn- (stem of conflagrātiō ), equivalent to conflagrāt(us), past participle of conflagrāre “to burn up”; con- ( def. ), -ate ¹ ( def. ), -ion ( def. ). Latin flagr- of conflagrāre is akin to fulgur “lightning,” flamma ( flame ), Greek phlóx ( phlox )

Example Sentences

But one senses that the playwright is at a loss to find a plausible ending after the simmering conflicts have erupted into a full conflagration.

From The Wall Street Journal

Political scientist Yuttaporn Issarachai said that the Thai government's primary agenda has shifted towards daunting external challenges, including the economic fallout of the Middle East conflagration.

From Barron's

At this point, experts say, even if a fire starts, the fuels aren’t dry enough to cause a massive conflagration.

From Los Angeles Times

State Farm General, an offshoot of national insurance giant State Farm Mutual, contends it has been financially sinking as seasonal wildfires morph into catastrophic urban conflagrations that destroy towns.

From Los Angeles Times

They are among the few merchant vessels to have sailed through the waterway since the conflagration trapped thousands of boats and threatened a global energy crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blaze
• bonfire
• inferno
• wildfire