inflammable

American  

[in-flam-uh-buhl] / ɪnˈflæm ə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable.

2. easily aroused or excited, as to passion or anger; irascible.

   an inflammable disposition.

   Synonyms:

   choleric, volatile, fiery

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noun

1. something inflammable.

inflammable British  

/ ɪnˈflæməbəl /

adjective

1. liable to catch fire; flammable

2. readily aroused to anger or passion

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noun

1. something that is liable to catch fire

Commonly Confused

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.

Other Word Forms

• inflammability noun
• inflammableness noun
• inflammably adverb
• noninflammability noun
• noninflammable adjective
• noninflammableness noun
• noninflammably adverb
• uninflammability noun
• uninflammable adjective

Etymology

Origin of inflammable

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

Explanation

Something that is inflammable can be set on fire easily. You dared not light a match after you accidentally spilled gasoline on yourself because you knew you were inflammable. Inflammable can be a tricky word, since the in- prefix often means "not." But in this case, the in- isn't really a prefix, because the word is built from the verb inflame which means "to set on fire." Some inflammable things might literally go up in flames, but we also use it metaphorically. Someone with a quick temper could be described as "inflammable," and if you fall in love easily, then you have an inflammable heart.

Example Sentences

In addition, they contain no easily inflammable liquids.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2023

The president's remarks are meant to calm a potentially inflammable atmosphere in Nanterre, near the La Défense business district, and other Paris suburbs, where the killing of Nahel has triggered strong emotions.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2023

But on Jan. 8, 1931, the inflammable pile was dynamited, making room for King County Hospital, now Harborview Medical Center.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2023

“This is not normal, of course. This is a very volatile, very inflammable situation,” said Artyom Shraibman, founder of Sense Analytics and a Belarus analyst with the Carnegie Moscow Center think tank.

From Washington Post • Nov. 17, 2021

The aeronaut checked his instruments from time to time, chewed on the cigar he would never light with the inflammable hydrogen so close, and huddled deeper into his own furs.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman