flammability

American  

[flam-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌflæm əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality of burning or igniting easily.

   The potential fire hazard depends on the flammability of the liquids being stored, their total quantity, and the type of container in which they are stored.

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Other Word Forms

• nonflammability noun

Etymology

Origin of flammability

flammabl(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

It is causing more extreme heat, which dries out vegetation, increasing flammability, said Theodore Keeping, wildfire scientist at the centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

Even when the plant does burn, however, its moisture content can limit other aspects of flammability, such as how hot it burns.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

The order comes after the commission sued Amazon in 2021 over allegations that the company distributed unsafe products from third-party sellers, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors and children’s pajamas that failed flammability tests.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 14, 2024

Synchronous increases in the flammability of forests and the frequency of lightning strikes are a worrying sign that intact extratropical forests will face an increasing threat of wildfire in future.

From Science Daily • Nov. 9, 2023

The latter extinguishes flame as well as the former, unless its own flammability is supported by the oxygen of the atmosphere until the degree of oxygenation CO_2 is reached.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 288, July 9, 1881 by Various