incendiary

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily

   An incendiary agent.

2. 2
   adj

   involving deliberate burning of property

   An incendiary fire.

3. 3
   adj

   Of a damaging fire, intentionally caused rather than accidental.

   The Crown must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the fire was incendiary in origin; that is, it was not accidental and that it was either intentionally or recklessly set by the accused.

4. 4
   adj

   Inflammatory, emotionally charged.

   Politics is an incendiary topic; it tends to cause fights to break out.

From Middle English incendiarie, from Old French incendiaire, from Latin incendiārius (“setting alight”), from incendium (“destructive fire”), from incendō (“to set on fire, kindle”), from in- (“into, in, on, upon”) + candeō (“to be hot”).

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