Standard Lemma guide

incendiary

adj · noun · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: ĭnsĕn'dĭərē
  • UK: /ɪnˈsɛn.dɪ.əɹ.i/
  • UK: /ɪnˈsɛn.djəɹ.i/
  • US: ĭnsĕn ́dĭĕ'rē
  • US: /ɪnˈsɛn.di.ɛɹ.i/
  • US: /ɪnˈsɛn.di.əɹ.i/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N S EH1 N D IY0 EH0 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Capable of, or used for, or actually causing fire.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a damaging fire, intentionally caused rather than accidental.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, technical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Inflammatory, emotionally charged.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Something capable of causing fire, particularly a weapon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The military used incendiaries to destroy the building. Fortunately, the fire didn't spread.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

One who maliciously sets fires.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arsonist

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

One who excites or inflames factions into quarrels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • March 7, 1692, Richard Bentley, The Folly of Atheism Several cities [...] drove them out as incendiaries.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: agitator

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective

Meaning 8

involving deliberate burning of property

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an incendiary fire

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an incendiary agent
  • incendiary bombs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adjective satellite

Meaning 10

arousing to action or rebellion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incitive, inflammatory, instigative, rabble-rousing, seditious

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

a bomb that is designed to start fires; is most effective against flammable targets (such as fuel)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incendiary bomb, firebomb

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bomb

12

noun

Meaning 12

a criminal who illegally sets fire to property

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arsonist, firebug

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: criminal, felon, crook, outlaw, malefactor

Narrower terms: barnburner

History

Etymology

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”).

Across languages

Translations

81 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: запа́льны (zapálʹny) — capable of causing fire
  • Bulgarian: запали́телен (zapalítelen) — capable of causing fire
  • Catalan: incendiari — capable of causing fire
  • Chinese Mandarin: 放火的 (fànghuǒ de) — capable of causing fire
  • Czech: zápalný — capable of causing fire
  • Czech: žhářský — capable of causing fire
  • Finnish: tulenarka — capable of causing fire
  • French: incendiaire — capable of causing fire
  • Galician: incendiario — capable of causing fire
  • German: Brand- — capable of causing fire
  • German: entzündlich — capable of causing fire
  • German: entflammbar — capable of causing fire
  • Italian: incendiario — capable of causing fire
  • Norwegian Bokmål: brennbar — capable of causing fire
  • Polish: palny — capable of causing fire
  • Polish: łatwopalny — capable of causing fire
  • Polish: zapalający — capable of causing fire
  • Portuguese: incendiário — capable of causing fire
  • Russian: зажига́тельный (zažigátelʹnyj) — capable of causing fire
  • Scottish Gaelic: loisgeach — capable of causing fire
  • Serbo-Croatian: zapaljiv — capable of causing fire
  • Ukrainian: запа́лювальний (zapáljuvalʹnyj) — capable of causing fire
  • Ukrainian: запальни́й (zapalʹnýj) — capable of causing fire
  • Urdu: آتِش گیر (ātiśgīr) — capable of causing fire
  • Arabic: تَحْرِيضِيّ (taḥrīḍiyy) — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Bulgarian: пострека́телски (postrekátelski) — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Catalan: incendiari — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Czech: buřičský — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Finnish: lietsova — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • German: aufrührerisch — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • German: aufwieglerisch — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • German: hetzerisch — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: opprørsk — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oppviglersk — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hetsende — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Polish: wichrzycielski — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Polish: prowokacyjny — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Polish: podjudzający — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Polish: zapalający — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Russian: подстрека́ющий (podstrekájuščij) — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Russian: разжига́ющий (razžigájuščij) — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Russian: подстрека́тельский (podstrekátelʹskij) — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Scottish Gaelic: loisgeach — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Serbo-Croatian: podstrekački — intentionally stirring up strife, riot, rebellion
  • Catalan: incendiari — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Chinese Mandarin: 煽動性的 /煽动性的 (shāndòngxìng de) — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Czech: ohnivý — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Finnish: tulenarka — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • German: Reiz- — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Norwegian Bokmål: brennbar — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Norwegian Bokmål: farlig — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Polish: prowokacyjny — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Portuguese: inflamado — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Portuguese: acalorado — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Serbo-Croatian: zapaljiv — inflammatory, emotionally charged
  • Bulgarian: запали́телен снаря́д (zapalítelen snarjád) — something capable of causing fire
  • Finnish: palopommi — something capable of causing fire
  • Finnish: sytyke — something capable of causing fire
  • German: Brandbombe — something capable of causing fire
  • Latin: incendiarius — something capable of causing fire
  • Norwegian Bokmål: brannfakkel — something capable of causing fire
  • Polish: bomba zapalająca — something capable of causing fire
  • Russian: зажига́тельный боеприпа́с (zažigátelʹnyj bojepripás) — something capable of causing fire
  • Volapük: lefilükamaboum — something capable of causing fire
  • Polish: podpalacz — one who maliciously sets fires; arsonist
  • Polish: podpalaczka — one who maliciously sets fires; arsonist
  • Bulgarian: подстрека́тел (podstrekátel) — instigator
  • Bulgarian: подстрека́телка (podstrekátelka) — instigator
  • Finnish: palopuhuja — instigator
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oppvigler — instigator
  • Norwegian Bokmål: opprører — instigator
  • Norwegian Bokmål: brannstifter — instigator
  • Polish: agitator — instigator
  • Polish: agitatorka — instigator
  • Polish: podżegacz — instigator
  • Polish: podżegaczka — instigator
  • Polish: podjudzacz — instigator
  • Polish: podjudzaczka — instigator
  • Russian: подстрека́тель (podstrekátelʹ) — instigator
  • Russian: подстрека́тельница (podstrekátelʹnica) — instigator
  • Serbo-Croatian: podstrekač — instigator
Real reading context

incendiary in complete knowledge articles