flammable, inflammable

flammable, inflammable
These words mean the same thing and are interchangeable. They are not contrasted, as are, for example, capable and incapable, mature and immature. Although both words are correct, flammable is more often used by scientists and in technical pursuits, whereas inflammable is more common outside manufacturing contexts. In referring to someone's temperament or behavior, inflammable seems more appropriate than flammable (his inflammable disposition). Possibly someday everyone will settle on flammable.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • flammable / inflammable —    These two words both mean easily set on fire : a highly flammable/inflammable substance. However, flammable is now used as a warning to avoid misinterpreting the prefix in as negation …   Confused words

  • flammable / inflammable —    These two words both mean easily set on fire : a highly flammable/inflammable substance. However, flammable is now used as a warning to avoid misinterpreting the prefix in as negation …   Confused words

  • flammable - inflammable — Both flammable and inflammable are used to describe materials or chemicals that burn easily. A window had been smashed and flammable liquid poured in. ...commercial centres, holding large stocks of inflammable materials. ◊ WARNING …   Useful english dictionary

  • flammable, inflammable —    It is an odd inconsistency of English that incombustible describes an object that wont burn while inflammable describes an object that will. Because the meaning of inflammable is susceptible to misunderstanding, manufacturers and others who… …   Dictionary of troublesome word

  • flammable, inflammable —    It is an odd inconsistency of English that incombustible describes an object that wont burn while inflammable describes an object that will. Because the meaning of inflammable is susceptible to misunderstanding, manufacturers and others who… …   Dictionary of troublesome word

  • flammable — inflammable, incendiary, inflammatory, *combustible …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • inflammable — See flammable. See flammable, inflammable …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • flammable — See flammable, inflammable …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • inflammable — adj. (esp. BrE) ⇨ See ↑flammable Inflammable is used with these nouns: ↑gas, ↑material …   Collocations dictionary

  • inflammable — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ easily set on fire. ► NOUN ▪ a substance which is easily set on fire. DERIVATIVES inflammability noun inflammableness noun inflammably adverb. USAGE The words inflammable and …   English terms dictionary

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