How Do You Spell INFLAMMABLE?

Pronunciation: [ɪnflˈaməbə͡l] (IPA)

The word "inflammable" is often confused with the word "nonflammable", as they appear to have opposite meanings - one meaning "able to catch fire" and the other meaning "not able to catch fire". However, both words actually mean the same thing, and "inflammable" is just an alternative spelling. This confusion arises because of the prefix "in-", which can mean either "not" or "into". In this case, it means "into", indicating the ability to ignite. The phonetic transcription of "inflammable" is ɪnˈflæməbl.

INFLAMMABLE Meaning and Definition

1. The term "inflammable" is an adjective used to describe substances that have the ability to easily catch fire and burn rapidly. These substances are highly flammable and pose a significant risk of ignition and combustion when exposed to heat, sparks, or flames.

   In the field of chemistry and fire safety, "inflammable" refers to a wide range of materials that possess volatile and combustible properties. These can include liquids, gases, and certain solids that have low flash points, meaning they can vaporize quickly and ignite at relatively low temperatures. Examples of inflammable substances commonly encountered include gasoline, propane, alcohol, and some chemicals.

   It is important to note that the term "inflammable" is often mistakenly believed to mean the opposite of flammable, i.e., that a substance is not easily ignited or burned. However, this is not the case – both "inflammable" and "flammable" describe substances that can catch fire easily. This confusion has led to a potential hazard, as some individuals may misinterpret "inflammable" to mean non-combustible, leading to unsafe handling or storage practices.

   Due to the potential for misunderstanding, the term "flammable" has become more commonly used in recent years, especially in safety regulations and warning labels, to avoid any confusion associated with the term "inflammable."

2. That may be easily kindled; combustible.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for INFLAMMABLE *

• inflamable 100%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for INFLAMMABLE

• inflateable
• inflatiable
• inflaitable
• unflammable
• inflammble
• inflameable
• ninflammable
• inflamably
• inflagmable
• inflangable
• enflameable
• inflamaable

Etymology of INFLAMMABLE

The word "inflammable" originates from the Latin word "inflammare", which means "to set on fire". The prefix "in-" in Latin indicates negation or the opposite, so "inflammare" means "not able to be set on fire". The word "inflammable" entered the English language in the mid-17th century, where it retained its Latin meaning of "able to catch fire easily". Despite the potential confusion caused by the prefix "in-", which usually denotes negation in English, "inflammable" does not mean "not flammable" but rather has the same meaning as its synonym "flammable". To address the confusion, "inflammable" is sometimes replaced with "flammable" to ensure clarity in safety-related contexts.

Similar spelling words for INFLAMMABLE

• infliximab,
• inflexible,
• inflated,
• inflator,
• inflammation,
• inflamed,
• inflaming,
• inflammatory,
• Inflammably,
• inviolable,
• inflamable,
• inflation,
• inflatable,
• non-inflammable,
• unfilmable,
• inflater,
• Inflammbly.