flame retardant

American  

noun

1. a compound used in cloth and plastic material to raise the ignition point of the material, thus making it resistant to fire.

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Etymology

Origin of flame retardant

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flame retardant

Aircraft dropped water and flame retardant from above, while ground crews built firebreaks with equipment ranging from bulldozers to hand tools.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

Two fixed-wing airplanes arrived on scene rapidly and dropped flame retardant around the perimeter of the blaze, while three helicopters dropped water from above, according to Ventura County Fire spokesperson Andrew Dowd.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining, which also mines copper and antimony, a flame retardant mineral, could be a backdoor AI play given the demand for wiring in data centers.

From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026

Investigators have since found that a protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025

My brother, the revolutionary weirdo, has covered himself in flame retardant, to use his terminology.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson