flammable
adjective
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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
Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Lint is highly flammable, and a lint buildup in the dryer vent can lead to a buildup in the dryer itself.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 26 May 2025
Fire officials said the trend is even more concerning when students try it at home, where there may be younger siblings, flammable materials and limited adult supervision, increasing the risk of injury and home fires.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 26 May 2025
Inside the backpack, authorities discovered three Molotov cocktails, which contained flammable fluid.
—Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for flammable
Cite this Entry
“Flammable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flammable. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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flammable
adjective
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