backdraft
backdraft Lexical Profile
backdraft Game Scores & Validity
• noun
American A sudden, violent explosion or rapid combustion caused when oxygen is abruptly introduced into an enclosed, superheated space where a fire has depleted the available oxygen.
"The firefighters checked the temperature of the closed door before entering the building to avoid triggering a deadly backdraft."
American A reverse or downward current of air or gas in a chimney, flue, stove, or furnace that forces smoke or fumes back into a building or room.
"Strong gusts of wind blowing over the roof created a backdraft in the fireplace, filling the living room with woodsmoke."
Word Nuance & Usage
Spelled "backdraught" in British English. In firefighting contexts, "backdraft" should not be confused with "flashover": a backdraft is a sudden explosion triggered by introducing fresh oxygen into an oxygen-depleted, superheated space, whereas a flashover is the near-simultaneous ignition of all combustible materials in an area that already has adequate ventilation.