flame

American  

[fleym] / fleɪm /

noun

1. burning gas or vapor, as from wood or coal, that is undergoing combustion; a portion of ignited gas or vapor.

   Synonyms:

   fire

2. Often flames the state or condition of blazing combustion.

   to burst into flames.

3. any flamelike condition; glow; inflamed condition.

4. brilliant light; scintillating luster.

5. bright coloring; a streak or patch of color.

6. flame color.

7. intense ardor, zeal, or passion.

8. Informal. an object of one's passionate love; sweetheart.

   He's taking out his new flame tonight.

9. Computer Slang. an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

---

verb (used without object)

flames, present (3rd person singular) flamed, past participle, past flaming present participle

1. to burn with a flame or flames; burst into flames; blaze.

2. to glow like flame; shine brilliantly; flash.

3. to burn or burst forth with strong emotion; break into open anger, indignation, etc.

4. Computer Slang. to post an angry, critical, or disparaging electronic message, as an online comment.

verb (used with object)

flames, present (3rd person singular) flamed, past participle, past flaming present participle

1. to subject to the action of flame or fire.

2. to flambé.

3. Computer Slang. to insult or criticize angrily in an online post or comment.

verb phrase

1. flame out

   1. (of a jet engine) to cease to function due to an interruption of the fuel supply or to faulty combustion.

   2. to burst out in or as if in flames.

flame British  

/ fleɪm /

noun

1. a hot usually luminous body of burning gas often containing small incandescent particles, typically emanating in flickering streams from burning material or produced by a jet of ignited gas

2. (often plural) the state or condition of burning with flames

   to burst into flames

3. a brilliant light; fiery glow

4. 1. a strong reddish-orange colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a flame carpet

5. intense passion or ardour; burning emotion

6. informal a lover or sweetheart (esp in the phrase an old flame )

7. informal an abusive message sent by electronic mail, esp to express anger or criticism of an internet user

---

verb

1. to burn or cause to burn brightly; give off or cause to give off flame

2. (intr) to burn or glow as if with fire; become red or fiery

   his face flamed with anger

3. (intr) to show great emotion; become angry or excited

4. (tr) to apply a flame to (something)

5. archaic (tr) to set on fire, either physically or with emotion

6. informal to send an abusive message by electronic mail

flame Scientific  

/ flām /

1. The hot, glowing mixture of burning gases and tiny particles that arises from combustion. Flames get their light either from the fluorescence of molecules or ions that have become excited, or from the incandescence of solid particles involved in the combustion process, such as the carbon particles from a candle.

---

flame Idioms  

1. see add fuel to the fire (flames); burst into (flames); fan the flames; go up in flames; shoot down (in flames).

---

Synonym Usage

Flame, blaze, conflagration refer to the light and heat given off by combustion. Flame is the common word, referring to a combustion of any size: the light of a match flame. Blaze usually denotes a quick, hot, bright, and comparatively large flame: The fire burst into a blaze. Conflagration refers to destructive flames which spread over a considerable area: A conflagration destroyed Chicago.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preflame
  adjective
• flameless
  adjective
• outflame
  verb (used with object)
• flamer
  noun
• flamelike
  adjective
• underflame
  noun
• flamy
  adjective
• flamelet
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has flamed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have flamed
  perfect
• is flaming
  progressive 3rd person singular
• flames
  singular 3rd person
• have been flaming
  perfect progressive
• has been flaming
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am flaming
  progressive 1st person singular
• are flaming
  progressive
• flaming
  participle

Past

• had flamed
  perfect
• were flaming
  progressive plural
• was flaming
  progressive singular
• flamed
  participle
• had been flaming
  perfect progressive
• flamed
  simple

Future

• will flame
  simple
• will have flamed
  perfect
• will have been flaming
  perfect progressive
• will be flaming
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of flame

First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English flaume, from Anglo-French, variant of flaumbe; Old French flambe, earlier flamble, from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma “flame” ( see -ule); (verb) Middle English flaumen, from Anglo-French flaum(b)er; Old French flamber, from Latin flammāre, derivative of flamma

Explanation

The flame of a fire produces light and heat and often flickers or dances. As a verb, to flame is to be on fire or to flare up. On the Internet, flame has a different meaning: to post or send aggressive, negative, or insulting messages in a public electronic forum. "Flame wars" are exchanges of such messages between individuals or parties and often occur behind a veil of anonymity. It's an appropriate term, given that inflammatory, which takes flame as its root, describes speech or action that tends to incite a heightened and negative response.

Example Sentences

As the chants continued, fans flocked from all corners of the stadium like moths to a flame, and the group grew from a few dozen to a few hundred.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 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

He said he saw a "flash of flame" under the bonnet of Rhys Jenkins' Toyota, which then spun, ending up facing back the way it had come.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

According to the National Cancer Institute, PAHs can develop when fat and juices from meat drip onto a hot surface or open flame, creating smoke that deposits these compounds onto the food.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

You know the moment a match is struck and a burst of flame roars to life?

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Related Words

• blaze
• conflagration
• flare
• flash
• light
• spark
• wildfire