spontaneous combustion

noun

1. the ignition of a substance or body from the rapid oxidation of its own constituents without heat from any external source.

spontaneous combustion

noun

1. the ignition of a substance or body as a result of internal oxidation processes, without the application of an external source of heat, occurring in finely powdered ores, coal, straw, etc

spontaneous combustion

1. The bursting into flame of a mass of material as a result of chemical reactions within the substance, without the addition of heat from an external source. Oily rags and damp hay, for example, are subject to spontaneous combustion.

spontaneous combustion

1. A process by which a collection of materials (such as oily rags) catches fire without the application of heat from outside. The oxidation of substances in the materials starts the fire.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spontaneous combustion¹

First recorded in 1800–10