inflammable
inflammable Lexical Profile
inflammable Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Easily set on fire; capable of burning quickly.
"The laboratory technician stored the inflammable solvents in a fireproof metal cabinet."
Easily aroused to strong emotion, passion, or anger; volatile.
"The diplomat carefully avoided making remarks that might provoke the inflammable temper of the rival delegation."
• noun
A substance or material that is easily set on fire (usually used in the plural).
"Shipping regulations require all inflammables to be clearly labeled before being loaded onto the cargo vessel."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although the prefix 'in-' often indicates negation in English, in 'inflammable' it derives from the Latin preposition meaning 'into' (as in 'inflame'); thus, 'inflammable' and 'flammable' are exact synonyms meaning easily set on fire. To prevent dangerous misunderstandings on safety labels, 'flammable' and 'nonflammable' are strongly preferred in modern technical and public warnings.
• Rhymes for inflammable
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from Middle French inflammable or Medieval Latin inflammabilis, from Latin inflammare ('to set on fire'), formed from in- ('into') and flamma ('flame').