incendiary

[ in-sen-dee-er-ee ]

See synonyms for incendiary on Thesaurus.com

adjective

used or adapted for setting property on fire: incendiary bombs.
of or relating to the criminal setting on fire of property.

tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory: incendiary speeches.
tending to inflame the senses: an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.

noun,plural in·cen·di·ar·ies.

a person who deliberately sets fire to buildings or other property, as an arsonist.
Military. a shell, bomb, or grenade containing napalm, thermite, or some other substance that burns with an intense heat.

a person who stirs up strife, sedition, etc.; an agitator.

Origin of incendiary

1600–10; <Latin incendiārius, equivalent to incendi(um) a fire (incend(ere) to kindle (in-in-² + -cendere, transitive v. from base of candēre to shine, be hot; see candent, candid, candor) + -ium-ium) + -ārius-ary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use incendiary in a sentence

The state he lived in licensed purchasers of dynamite and other incendiaries only after a background check.
Who’s Safe With a Gun? Don’t Ask a Shrink | Gary Greenberg | May 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
A few days later a large part of the city was destroyed by fires evidently kindled by incendiaries.
The Political History of England - Vol. X. | William Hunt
In two cases the sailors arrived upon the spot before the incendiaries had made their escape.
A Chapter of Adventures | G. A. Henty
That flame also could burn fiercely when fanned by incendiaries, although it did not supply its own combustibles.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXLII. Vol. LV. April, 1844 | Various
It was not employed to restrain the Mohocks, nor to suppress the Gordon rioters, nor to save Bristol from the incendiaries.
A History of Police in England | W. L. Melville Lee

None of the incendiaries had been recognized, but nobody doubted that they were of Rough Shans crew.
The Boss of Wind River | David Goodger (goodger@python.org)

British Dictionary definitions for incendiary

incendiary

/ (ɪnˈsɛndɪərɪ) /

adjective

of or relating to the illegal burning of property, goods, etc
tending to create strife, violence, etc; inflammatory

(of a substance) capable of catching fire, causing fires, or burning readily

nounplural -aries

a person who illegally sets fire to property, goods, etc; arsonist
(esp formerly) a person who stirs up civil strife, violence, etc, for political reasons; agitator

Also called: incendiary bomb a bomb that is designed to start fires
an incendiary substance, such as phosphorus

Origin of incendiary

C17: from Latin incendiārius setting alight, from incendium fire, from incendere to kindle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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