incendiary

[in-sen-dee-er-ee]

adjective

1. used or adapted for setting property on fire.

   incendiary bombs.

2. of or relating to the criminal setting on fire of property.

3. tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory.

   incendiary speeches.

4. tending to inflame the senses.

   an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.

noun

plural

incendiaries 

1. a person who deliberately sets fire to buildings or other property, as an arsonist.

2. Military.,  a shell, bomb, or grenade containing napalm, thermite, or some other substance that burns with an intense heat.

3. a person who stirs up strife, sedition, etc.; an agitator.

incendiary

/ ɪnˈsɛndɪərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the illegal burning of property, goods, etc

2. tending to create strife, violence, etc; inflammatory

3. (of a substance) capable of catching fire, causing fires, or burning readily

noun

1. a person who illegally sets fire to property, goods, etc; arsonist

2. (esp formerly) a person who stirs up civil strife, violence, etc, for political reasons; agitator

3. Also called: incendiary bomb. a bomb that is designed to start fires

4. an incendiary substance, such as phosphorus

Word History and Origins

Origin of incendiary¹

1600–10; < Latin incendiārius, equivalent to incendi ( um ) a fire ( incend ( ere ) to kindle ( in- in- ² + -cendere, transitive v. from base of candēre to shine, be hot; candent, candid, candor ) + -ium -ium ) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of incendiary¹

C17: from Latin incendiārius setting alight, from incendium fire, from incendere to kindle

Example Sentences

"Their incendiary style might work on the small grounds in England on pitches prepared to be as flat as one-day pitches," he said.

Read more on Barron's

These include cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, incendiary devices inserted into cargo depots, surveillance and sometimes sabotage of undersea cables.

Read more on BBC

That was high-risk enough - it's not generally the done thing in politics to advertise your own weakness - but the decision to identify Streeting as someone coveting the top job was especially incendiary.

Read more on BBC

Even by the incendiary campaigns California is used to, Proposition 50 has been notable for its sharp attacks to cut through the dense, esoteric issue of congressional redistricting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And then, predictably, an incendiary act kicks the story into overdrive: Footage of someone burning the Ten Commandments surfaces on social media.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• inflammatory 
• provocative 
• subversive 
• treacherous