flammable

flammable — adjective

1. A flammable material or substance can start to burn very quickly when it comes n

1.形容詞B1
釋義

A flammable material or substance can start to burn very quickly when it comes near a flame or a high heat source.

例句

The warning label on the can says the paint inside is highly flammable.

typical warning label context on product packaging

Kofi checked that his workbench was clear of flammable chemicals before welding.

collocation: flammable chemicals; safety precaution context

同義詞
  • combustible

    A broader and more technical term — refers to anything that can catch fire and burn, not just things that ignite very easily

  • inflammable

    Has the exact same meaning as 'flammable' but is less common in modern safety labels because people mistakenly read it as 'not flammable'

  • ignitable

    More technical; refers specifically to the ability to catch fire rather than how fast something burns

反義詞
  • non-flammable

    The direct everyday opposite — will not catch fire under normal conditions

  • fire-resistant

    Does not burn easily but may still catch fire under extreme heat; different from fully non-flammable

  • fireproof

    Stronger than non-flammable — implies it cannot burn even under very high heat

用法筆記

Often used in safety warnings, product labels, and fire-prevention instructions. The noun it describes is the material that burns, not the source of the flame.

常見錯誤

❌The label says the liquid is inflammable, so it will not catch fire.
✅The label says the liquid is flammable, meaning it catches fire easily.
💡'Flammable' and 'inflammable' actually mean the same thing: both indicate something burns easily. The 'in-' prefix in 'inflammable' is not a negation here; it comes from Latin 'inflammare' (to set on fire).