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
Joe Salas, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
But manufacturer issues, misuse and aging can heighten the risk from the batteries, which use flammable materials, potentially posing a fire danger on flights.
—Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
Fires were very common in the 19th century due to a combination of highly flammable building materials, open frames used for lighting and heating, and the lack of modern fire safety measures such as sprinklers and fire-resistant construction.
—Elizabeth Call, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025
The building was being used as a machine shop for repairs, fire officials said, and contained flammable and combustible liquids, according to fire officials.
—Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 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 15 Apr. 2025.
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flammable
adjective
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