INCENDIARY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does incendiary mean? 

• INCENDIARY (noun)
  The noun INCENDIARY has 2 senses:

1. a criminal who illegally sets fire to property

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

  Familiarity information: INCENDIARY used as a noun is rare.

• INCENDIARY (adjective)
  The adjective INCENDIARY has 3 senses:

1. involving deliberate burning of property

2. arousing to action or rebellion

3. capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily

  Familiarity information: INCENDIARY used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INCENDIARY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A criminal who illegally sets fire to property

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

arsonist; firebug; incendiary

Hypernyms ("incendiary" is a kind of...):

criminal; crook; felon; malefactor; outlaw (someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "incendiary"):

barnburner (someone who burns down a barn)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

firebomb; incendiary; incendiary bomb

Hypernyms ("incendiary" is a kind of...):

bomb (an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions)

• INCENDIARY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Involving deliberate burning of property

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

an incendiary fire

Pertainym:

arson (malicious burning to destroy property)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Arousing to action or rebellion

Synonyms:

incendiary; incitive; inflammatory; instigative; rabble-rousing; seditious

Similar:

provocative (serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily

Context example:

incendiary bombs

Similar:

combustible (capable of igniting and burning)