adjective
-
liable to catch fire; flammable
-
readily aroused to anger or passion
noun
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing inflammable
Commonly Confused Words, List 5
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fla, flam (flame)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many in Iran are blaming the authorities for incompetence and worse, asking: How could so much inflammable material apparently be left on the port without due care?
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2025
In addition, they contain no easily inflammable liquids.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2023
In the case of inflammable and toxic chemicals, the river is often the only viable option for transport.
From Reuters ● Jul. 26, 2023
High levels of methane gas and coal dust, both highly inflammable, make mines hazardous.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 26, 2021
Besides, the cables, the pylons, the transformers were too close: to be swept in among them, with a zeppelin full of inflammable gas, would be instantly fatal.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
