flammable

adjective

flam·ma·ble ˈfla-mə-bəl

Synonyms of flammable next

: capable of being easily ignited and of burning quickly

flammable noun

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Why Inflammable Is Not the Opposite of Flammable

Combustible and incombustible are opposites but flammable and inflammable are synonyms. Why? The in- of incombustible is a common prefix meaning "not," but the in- of inflammable is a different prefix. Inflammable comes from Latin inflammare ("to inflame"), itself from in- (here meaning "in" or "into") plus flammare ("to flame"). Flammable also comes from flammare. In the early 20th century, firefighters worried that people might think inflammable meant "not able to catch fire," so they adopted flammable and nonflammable as official safety labels and encouraged their use to prevent confusion. In general use, flammable is now the preferred term for describing things that can catch fire, but inflammable is still occasionally used with that meaning as well.

Examples of flammable in a Sentence

avoid wearing loose flammable clothing when using the blowtorch

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But the flames didn't ignite the rest of the house, because its exterior is covered in stucco, not a more flammable material such as wood. —

Lauren Sommer, NPR, 17 Jan. 2025 Their two-story home had recently been remodeled and was low on flammable materials. —

James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 Adapting homes to fire risk More than one-third of U.S. homes are in what’s known as the wildland-urban interface – the zone where houses and other structures intermingle with flammable vegetation. —

Justin Angle, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025 This severe dryness has left vegetation highly flammable, creating ideal conditions for wildfires when combined with the region's notorious Santa Ana winds. —

Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for flammable