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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.
Synonyms
Examples of inflammable in a Sentence
John Leicester, Quartz, 15 Apr. 2024
Heat also stresses old electrical systems — insulation breaks down; lubricants in relays dry out — and a not-insignificant amount of the subway’s electrical wiring dates to the 1920s and 1930s, some of it cloth-covered, inflammable, and pervious to water.
—Curbed, 28 July 2023
Initial checks showed the fire, which mostly affected a wing for critically ill patients, was caused by inflammable painting material at a ward under renovation, the officials said.
—Reuters, NBC News, 19 Apr. 2023
At the crime scene in Madison, authorities found jars with pieces of clothing, inflammable liquid and burn marks.
—Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for inflammable 
Dictionary Entries Near inflammable
Cite this Entry
“Inflammable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inflammable. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
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inflammable
adjective
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