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British

flammable

[ flam-uh-buhl ]

/ ˈflæm ə bəl /

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See synonyms for flammable on Thesaurus.com

adjective

easily set on fire; combustible; inflammable.

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Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!

Question 1 of 7

Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?

First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.

First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.

First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.

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Origin of flammable

First recorded in 1805–15; from Latin flammā(re) “to set on fire” + -ble

words often confused with flammable

See inflammable.

OTHER WORDS FROM flammable

flam·ma·bil·i·ty [flam-uh-bil-i-tee], /ˌflæm əˈbɪl ɪ ti/, noun

Words nearby flammable

flaming sword, Flaminian Way, Flamininus, Flaminius, flammability, flammable, Flammarion, Flamsteed, flamy, flan, Flanagan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for flammable

Generally, the species being considered for recognition as endangered had more than 50 percent of their ranges burned, lived in flammable parts of the habitat and have little ability to disperse to other areas.
A year after Australia’s wildfires, extinction threatens hundreds of species|John Pickrell|March 9, 2021|Science News
The company says it achieved this, in large part, by developing a solid version of the flammable liquid electrolyte.
Novel lithium-metal batteries will drive the switch to electric cars|Katie McLean|February 24, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Fires burning in a portable pit or barbecue must be at least 15 feet away from any structure or flammable materials.
Backyard party essentials: Outdoor Super Bowl party ideas for 2021|PopSci Commerce Team|January 30, 2021|Popular Science
They’re lightweight, compact and made of more sustainable, less flammable materials than other batteries.
Zinc-air batteries are typically single-use. A new design could change that|Maria Temming|January 5, 2021|Science News

That can happen, according to the report, when (flammable) methane leaks out of fracking wells and into drinking water.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He doused himself with two plastic bottles of flammable liquids, and he set himself on fire.
Suicidal Anti-war Protest Shocks Japan as It Rethinks Pacifist Constitution|Angela Erika Kubo, Jake Adelstein|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ordinary people flocked to the Maidan, burning anything flammable and uprooting hunks of pavement to throw at police.
Ukraine’s Bloody Crackdown Enters Its Third Day|Oleg Shynkarenko|February 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The cabin was quickly engulfed, accelerated by highly flammable tear gas.
How Christopher Dorner Went Down|Christine Pelisek|February 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Hearings for Supreme Court justices, decisions of war, flammable federal scandals.
Senate Panel Quizzes Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan on Colombian Prostitutes|Daniel Stone|May 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for flammable

flammable

/ (ˈflæməbəl) /

adjective

liable to catch fire; readily combustible; inflammable

Derived forms of flammable

flammability, noun

usage for flammable

Flammable and inflammable are interchangeable when used of the properties of materials. Flammable is, however, often preferred for warning labels as there is less likelihood of misunderstanding (inflammable being sometimes taken to mean not flammable). Inflammable is preferred in figurative contexts: this could prove to be an inflammable situation

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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