flammable

adjective

flam·​ma·​ble ˈfla-mə-bəl How to pronounce flammable (audio)
: 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 Boeing delayed Starliner's first crewed flight last year, after company officials realized that adhesive tape used on hundreds of yards of wiring was potentially flammable, and the capsule’s three parachutes were connected with lines that appeared to be weaker than expected. Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 1 June 2024 The result now is a landscape of dense forests dominated by conifers, which are extremely flammable. Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times, 29 May 2024 The report also called out Shein suppliers for safety hazards, including for not enforcing a ban on smoking, which could cause a fire because textiles are flammable. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 13 May 2024 Lithium-ion batteries are flammable, and while operators have taken steps to reduce fire risk, some communities oppose projects in their backyards. Brad Plumer, New York Times, 6 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for flammable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flammable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin flammare to flame, set on fire, from flamma

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flammable was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near flammable

Cite this Entry

“Flammable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flammable. Accessed 11 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

flammable

adjective
flam·​ma·​ble ˈflam-ə-bəl How to pronounce flammable (audio)
: capable of being easily set on fire and of burning rapidly
a flammable liquid
flammability
ˌflam-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
flammable noun

More from Merriam-Webster on flammable

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