inflammable

[in-flam-uh-buhl]

adjective

capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable.

easily aroused or excited, as to passion or anger; irascible: an inflammable disposition.

noun

something inflammable.

Origin of inflammable

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin inflammābilis, equivalent to Latin inflammā(re) to inflame + -bilis -ble

Related formsin·flam·ma·bil·i·ty, in·flam·ma·ble·ness, nounin·flam·ma·bly, adverbnon·in·flam·ma·bil·i·ty, nounnon·in·flam·ma·ble, adjectivenon·in·flam·ma·ble·ness, nounnon·in·flam·ma·bly, adverbun·in·flam·ma·bil·i·ty, nounun·in·flam·ma·ble, adjective

Can be confusedinflammable inflammatory

Synonyms for inflammable

2. fiery, volatile, choleric.

Usage note

Inflammable and flammable both mean “combustible.” Inflammable is the older by about 200 years. Flammable now has certain technical uses, particularly as a warning on vehicles carrying combustible materials, because of a belief that some might interpret the intensive prefix in- of inflammable as a negative prefix and thus think the word means “noncombustible.” Inflammable is the word more usually used in nontechnical and figurative contexts: The speaker ignited the inflammable emotions of the crowd.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for inflammability

Historical Examples of inflammability

It is also used in fireworks on account of its inflammability.
Commercial Geography
Jacques W. Redway
We find that it differs in respect to its purity, and also in respect to its inflammability.
The World's Greatest Books - Volume 15 - Science
Various
Its inflammability is, of course, a serious obstacle to its general use.
Plague
Thomas Wright Jackson
Besides this, petroleum is highly dangerous on account of its inflammability.
Paper and Printing Recipes
J. Sawtelle Ford
Apparently unknown to Murdock, previous observations had been made as to the inflammability of gas from coal.
Artificial Light
M. Luckiesh

British Dictionary definitions for inflammability

inflammable

adjective

liable to catch fire; flammable

readily aroused to anger or passion

noun

something that is liable to catch fire

Derived Formsinflammability or inflammableness, nouninflammably, adverb

xref

See flammable

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

Word Origin and History for inflammability

inflammable

adj.

early 15c., in medicine, "liable to inflammation," from Middle French inflammable and directly from Medieval Latin inflammabilis, from Latin inflammare (see inflame). As "able to be set alight," c.1600. Related: Inflammability.