conflagration

[kon-fluh-grey-shuhn]

noun

1. a destructive fire, usually an extensive one.

conflagration

/ ˌkɒnfləˈɡreɪʃən /

noun

1. a large destructive fire

Other Word Forms

• conflagrative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conflagration¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of conflagration¹

C16: from Latin conflagrātiō, from conflagrāre to be burnt up, from com- (intensive) + flagrāre to burn; related to Latin fulgur lightning

Synonym Study

See flame.

Example Sentences

Just northwest, on the other side of Calabasas, Ventura County Fire Department deployed 500 goats and 100 sheep to eat acres of invasive grasses that are prone to conflagration.

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Still, there is a collective sigh of relief across this region, and around a world pulled passionately into this conflagration more than any other conflict.

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Strong winds brought the embers to the surface, to grow into a deadly conflagration.

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They’re residue of felled trees that burned in the horrific Palisades conflagration.

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But over the last few decades, as blazes penetrate deeper into cities, he’s dealing with a different kind of problem: urban conflagrations.

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Related Words

• blaze 
• bonfire 
• inferno 
• wildfire