flammable
flammable Lexical Profile
flammable Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Easily set on fire; capable of burning quickly.
"Please store all flammable liquids in a cool, well-ventilated cabinet away from heat sources."
• noun
A substance or material that is easily set on fire (usually used in the plural).
"The laboratory safety manual requires that all flammables be kept in approved safety containers."
Word Nuance & Usage
Both "flammable" and "inflammable" mean easily set on fire, because the prefix "in-" in "inflammable" comes from Latin "inflammare" (to set on fire) rather than the negative prefix. In safety warnings and technical contexts, "flammable" and its opposite "nonflammable" are strongly preferred to prevent dangerous misunderstandings.
• Rhymes for flammable
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century from Latin flammare ('to set on fire'), from flamma ('flame'), specifically promoted in the 20th century by fire safety organizations to avoid the ambiguity of 'inflammable'.