pyrophoric

[pahy-ruh-fawr-ik, -for-]

adjective

Chemistry.

1. capable of igniting spontaneously in air.

pyrophoric

/ ˌpaɪrəʊˈfɒrɪk /

adjective

1. (of a chemical) igniting spontaneously on contact with air

2. (of an alloy) producing sparks when struck or scraped

   lighter flints are made of pyrophoric alloy

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyrophoric¹

1780–90; < Greek pyrophór ( os ) fire-bearing ( pyro-, -phorous ) + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyrophoric¹

C19: from New Latin pyrophorus, from Greek purophoros fire-bearing, from pur fire + pherein to bear

Example Sentences

Defense Department has placed significantly fewer orders for Alloy Surfaces’ pyrophoric airborne decoys, which the company manufactures in Philadelphia and are used as protection against heat-seeking missiles.

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George Koutsantonis, a chemist at the UWA, describes her components as “vital” for his research on pyrophoric chemicals, which ignite spontaneously if exposed to air.

Read more on Nature

Static or piezoelectricity is another popular candidate for the helicopter halos–as opposed to the pyrophoric, muffler-scraping-on-the-road phenomenon I describe in the video above.

Read more on Scientific American

But again, if the helicopter blades aren’t pyrophoric but do conduct electricity, the whole effect disappears.

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Prosecutors say the fire broke out when Sangji, a recent college graduate who had only been working in the lab for some 2 1/2 months, was performing an experiment with tert-Butyllithium, a pyrophoric chemical, meaning that it spontaneously ignites when exposed to air.

Read more on Reuters