different between inflammable vs incendiary

English

Etymology

From Middle French inflammable, from Medieval Latin ?nflamm?bilis, from Latin ?nflamm?re (“to set on fire”), from in (“in, on”) + flamma (“flame”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: ?n?fl?m-?-b?l, IPA^(key): /?n?flæm?b?l/

Adjective

inflammable (comparative more inflammable, superlative most inflammable)

1. Capable of burning; easily set on fire.

   Synonyms: combustible, flammable

   Antonyms: fireproof, incombustible, nonflammable, noninflammable, uninflammable
2. (figuratively) Easily excited; set off by the slightest excuse; easily enraged or inflamed.

   Synonyms: hot-headed, quick to anger

   Antonyms: level-headed, unflappable

3. Incapable of burning; not easily set on fire.

   Synonyms: fireproof, incombustible, nonflammable, noninflammable, uninflammable

   Antonyms: combustible, flammable

Usage notes

• Inflammable, although originally meant as a synonym of flammable, is nowadays often used as an antonym of flammable, and, as such, may be taken to have the opposite meaning to that intended (depending on whether the writer and/or the reader use inflammable as a synonym, or as an antonym, of flammable). Where such confusion might arise, especially where this may be a safety hazard, one may prefer to use flammable or non-flammable (depending on whether inflammable would have been used as a synonym or as an antonym of flammable) or another synonym.

Related terms

Translations

Noun

inflammable (plural inflammables)

1. Any inflammable substance.

Further reading

• inflammable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• inflammable in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Etymology

From Middle French inflammer +? -able, from Latin ?nflamm?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.fla.mabl/
• Homophone: inflammables
• Hyphenation: in?fla?mmable

Adjective

inflammable (plural inflammables)

1. flammable, inflammable

   Antonym: ininflammable

Derived terms

• inflammabilité

Further reading

• “inflammable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French incendiaire, from Latin incendi?rius (“setting alight”), from incendium (“destructive fire”), from incend? (“I set on fire, kindle”), from in- (“into, in, on, upon”) + cande? (“I am hot”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: ?ns?n'd??r?, IPA^(key): /?n?s?n.d?.??.i/, /?n?s?n.dj??.i/
• (US) enPR: ?ns?n´d??'r?, IPA^(key): /?n?s?n.di.??.i/, /?n?s?n.di.??.i/
• ,

Adjective

incendiary (comparative more incendiary, superlative most incendiary)

1. Capable of, or used for, or actually causing fire.
2. (figuratively) Intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion.
   • 2014, Ian Thomson, Primo Levi: A Life, Metropolitan Books (?ISBN), page 123:

     Earlier that year Italian Jews had come under serious attack when an incendiary publication, Gli ebrei in Italia (The Jews in Italy), had flooded the bookshops. The author, Paolo Orano, was a Fascist publicist whose book helped to harden Italian public sensibility against the Jews and pave the way for their eventual persecution.

3. (figuratively) Inflammatory, emotionally charged.

Translations

Noun

incendiary (plural incendiaries)

1. Something capable of causing fire, particularly a weapon.

2. One who maliciously sets fires.

   Synonym: arsonist

3. (figuratively) One who excites or inflames factions into quarrels.

   Synonym: agitator

   • March 7, 1692, Richard Bentley, The Folly of Atheism

     Several cities […] drove them out as incendiaries.

Translations