meaning - Difference between "inflammable" and "flammable"
The Free Dictionary advises using only flammable to give warnings: Usage Note: Historically, flammable and inflammable mean the same thing. However, the presence of the prefix in- has misled many …
meaning - Is it inflammable or flammable? - English Language & Usage ...
Feb 28, 2015 · Inflammable, derived from the verb inflame, is the original word. But because the first syllable is easily misinterpreted as the common negative prefix in- (as in, for example, inescapable, …
orthography - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Jul 12, 2018 · The etymology of inflammable is from the French root inflammable, in turn from the Latin - related to the verb inflame. Etymology: representing Latin type *inflammābilis , < inflammāre (see …
etymology - Why are not "infamous" and "inflammable" the opposite …
Why are not infamous and inflammable the opposite of famous and flammable, like incomplete, inactivity, inappropriate and so on?
meaning - "Flammable" versus "Combustible" - English Language
Moi aussi. I see some irony in the fact that the NFPA, which is widely credited with having spearheaded the movement to popularize flammable in the 1920s (see the entry for flammable/inflammable in …
Is there a name for synonyms that appear to have opposite meanings?
The words flammable and inflammable mean the same thing, but (to someone unfamiliar with their meaning) appear to be opposites (because of the "in" prefix). Is there a name for such word pairs …
Do "to ravel" and to "to unravel" mean the same thing?
Mar 9, 2018 · Cleave means tear apart as well as bind together. The world inflammable can mean combustible or not combustible. There is no "why" to natural languages, or, rather, asking "why" is …
If "in-" forms antonyms, why is "invaluable" not the opposite of ...
Feb 22, 2023 · Inflammable means flammable/can combust in French. French doesn't have the word flammable for some reason (nothing seems inherently "wrong" with it, it just doesn't exist). To denote …
What words sound like opposites but are synonyms?
Somewhat related to this question, I am curious to know what words in English would seem to be opposites at first blush but are in fact synonyms? Immediately I can think of flammable and …
What is funny in Inflammable - English Language & Usage Stack …
Mar 29, 2013 · The joke arises from the fact that "inflammable" and "flammable" are synonymous (that is, they have the same meaning.) Normally the prefix "in" makes the root word have the opposite …