Added 9 October 2026
inflame
/ɪnˈfleɪm/ verb
Latin root: inflammāre Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about inflame at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
To set (someone or something) on fire; to cause (someone or something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
to inflame the eyes by overwork
- To set (someone or something) on fire; to cause (someone or something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
- To cause (something) to appear bright or red, as if on fire; to brighten, to redden.
Origin
From Middle English inflammen, enflamen, enflaumen (“to set (something) on fire; to be on fire; (figurative) to enrage (someone); to become enraged; to incite (someone) to do evil; to inspire (someone); (medicine) to cause inflammation of (a body part)”), from Old French enflamer, enflammer (“to set (something) on fire, inflame; to be on fire; (figurative) to fuel (a debate, hatred, etc.)”) (modern French enflammer), from Latin inflammāre, the present active infinitive of inflammō (“to set (something) on fire, inflame; (figurative) to excite (someone)”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘into; to, towards’) + flammō (“to set (something) on fire; to be on fire; (figurative) to incite (someone)”) (fro.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)