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combustion

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Combustion: Value
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com⋅bus⋅tion

  [kuhm-buhs-chuhn]
Use combustion in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act or process of burning.
2. Chemistry.
a. rapid oxidation accompanied by heat and, usually, light.
b. chemical combination attended by production of heat and light.
c. slow oxidation not accompanied by high temperature and light.
3. violent excitement; tumult.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME (< MF) < LL combūstiōn- (s. of combūstiō). See combust, -ion

Related forms:
com⋅bus⋅tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Combustion: Value
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com·bus·tion   (kəm-bŭs'chən)   
n.  

  1. The process of burning.

  2. A chemical change, especially oxidation, accompanied by the production of heat and light.

  3. Violent anger or agitation: Combustion within the populace slowly built up to the point of revolution.


[Middle English, from Late Latin combustiō, combustiōn-, from Latin combustus, past participle of combūrere, to burn up, blend of com-, intensive pref.; see com- and ambūrere, to burn around (amb-, ambi-, ambi- + ūrere, to burn).]
com·bus'tive (-tĭv) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

combustion

Burning; a chemical reaction that involves the rapid combination of a fuel with oxygen. (See oxidation and spontaneous combustion.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

combustion 
c.1600 (combustibility is attested from 1471), from O.Fr. combustion, from L. combustionem (nom. combustio), from comburere "to burn," from com- intens. prefix + *burere, faulty sep. of amburere "to burn around," actually ambi-urere, from urere "to burn, singe."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: com·bus·tion
Pronunciation: k&m-'b&s-ch&n
Function: noun
: a usually very rapid chemical process (as oxidation) thatproduces heat and usually light; also : a slower oxidation (as in the body)
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

combustion com·bus·tion (kəm-bŭs'chən)
n.

  1. The process of burning.

  2. A chemical change, especially oxidation, accompanied by the production of heat and light.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Encyclopedia

combustion

rapid chemical reaction between substances that is usually accompanied by generation of heat and light in the form of flame. In most cases, oxygen comprises one of the reactants. Other physical phenomena that sometimes occur during combustion reactions are explosion and detonation.

Learn more about combustion with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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