Online Etymology Dictionary

flame (n.): c.1340, from Anglo-Fr. flaume, from O.Fr. flamme, from L. flammula "small flame," dim. of flamma "flame," from PIE *bhleg-/*phleg-. The meaning "a sweetheart" is attested from 1647; the fig sense of "burning passion" was in M.E. The verb is M.E. flamen, from O.Fr. flamer; the verb sense of "unleash invective on a computer network" is from 1980s. Flamer, flaming "glaringly homosexual" are homosexual slang from 1970s, but flamer "glaringly conspicuous person or thing" (1809) and flaming "glaringly conspicuous" (1781) are much earlier in the general sense, both originally with reference to "wenches." Flaming as an intensifying adj. dates from late 19c. Flame-thrower (1917) translates Ger. flammenwerfer (1915).
flamboyant: 1832, first used of a 15c.-16c. architectural style with flame-like curves, from Fr. flamboyant "flaming, wavy," prp. of flamboyer "to flame," from O.Fr. flamboier, from flambe "flame." Extended sense of "showy, ornate" is 1879.
inflame: 1340, "to set on fire with passion," fig. use of L. inflammare "to set on fire, kindle," from in- "in" + flammare "to flame," from flamma "flame" (see flame). Literal sense of "to cause to burn" first recorded in Eng. 1382. Inflammable "able to be set alight" is from 1605. Inflammatory "tending to rouse passions or anger" is from 1711. Inflammation "redness or swelling in a body part" is from 1533.
gloss (1): "luster," 1538, from Scand. (cf. Icelandic glossi "flame," related to glossa "to flame"), or obsolete Du. gloos "a glowing," from M.H.G. glos.
oriflamme: sacred banner of St. Denis, late 15c., from O.Fr. orie flame, from L. aurea flamma "golden flame." The ancient battle standard of the kings of France, it was of red or orange-red silk, with two or three points, and was given to the kings by the abbot of St. Denis on setting out to war. Cotgrave says it was "borne at first onely in warres made against Infidells; but afterwards vsed in all other warres; and at length vtterly lost in a battell against the Flemings." It is last mentioned in an abbey inventory of 1534.
flamingo: 1565, from Port. flamengo, Sp. flamengo, lit. "flame-colored" (cf Gk. phoinikopteros "flamingo," lit. "red-feathered"), from Prov. flamenc, from flama "flame" + Gmc. suffix -enc "-ing, belonging to."
flambé: 1886, of certain types of porcelain, 1906 as a term in cookery, from Fr., pp. of flamber "to singe, blaze," from O.Fr. flambe "flame."
biretta: square cap worn by Catholic clergy, 1598, from It. beretta, from L.L. birrus, birrum "large cloak with hood, perhaps of Gaulish origin, or from Gk. pyrros "flame-colored, yellow."
Uriah: masc. proper name, in O.T., the Hittite husband of Bathsheba; of non-Hebrew (possibly Horite) origin, but explained by folk etymology as Heb. Uriyyah, lit. "flame of the Lord." Uriah Heep, character from Dickens' "David Copperfield" (1850) sometimes is invoked as the type of a hypocritically humble person.
flash: late 14c., from flasken (c.1300) "to dash or splash" (as water), probably imitative. Sense of "sudden burst of light or flame" is 1540s, as is the noun. Meaning "photographic lamp" is from 1913. Flash in the pan (1809) is from old-style guns, where the powder might ignite in the pan but fail to spark the main charge.
blaze (1): "fire," O.E. blæse "a torch, flame," from P.Gmc. *blason, from PIE *bhles- "shine," from base *bhel- (see black). The verb is early 13c. Blazes as a euphemism for "hell" dates from 1818.
ardor: late 14c., "heat of passion or desire," from O.Fr. ardour (12c.), from L. ardorem (nom. ardor) "a flame, fire," from ardere "to burn" (see ardent). In M.E., used of base passions; since Milton's time, of noble ones.
burro: 1800, from Sp. burrico "donkey," from L.L. burricus "small, shaggy horse," probably from burrus "reddish-brown," from Gk. pyrros "flame-colored, yellowish-red," from pyr (gen. pyros) "fire."
pyrrhic (2): "dance in armor" (1597), also a type of metrical foot (1626), from L. pyrrhicha, from Gk. pyrrikhe orkhesis, the war-dance of ancient Greece, traditionally named for its inventor, Pyrrikhos. The name lit. means "reddish," from pyrros "flame-colored," from pyr "fire" (see pyre).
aflame: 1550s, from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + flame (q.v.).
smolder: c.1300 (implied in smoldering), "to smother, suffocate," cognate with M.Du. smolen, Low Ger. smelen, Flem. smoel "hot," from P.Gmc. *smel-, *smul-. The meaning "burn and smoke without flame" is first recorded 1529, fell from use 17c. (though smoldering persisted in poetry) and was revived 19c.
phlox: 1706, from L., where it was the name of a flower (Pliny), from Gk. phlox "kind of plant with showy flowers" (probably Silene vulgaris), lit. "flame," related to phlegein "to burn," phlegma "inflammation" (see phlegm). Applied to the N.Amer. flowering plant by Ger. botanist Johann Jakob Dillenius (1684-1747).
phlogiston: 1730, "hypothetical inflammatory principle," formerly believed to exist in all combustible matter, from Mod.L. (1702), from Gk. phlogiston (1619 in this sense), neut. of phlogistos "burnt up, inflammable," from phlogizein "to set on fire, burn," from phlox (gen. phlogos) "flame, blaze" (see phlegm). Theory propounded by Stahl (1702), denied by Lavoisier (1775), defended by Priestley but generally abandoned by 1800.
vortex: 1652, "whirlpool, eddying mass," from L. vortex, variant of vertex "an eddy of water, wind, or flame; whirlpool; whirlwind," from stem of vertere "to turn" (see versus). Plural form is vortices. Became prominent in 17c. theories of astrophysics (by Descartes, etc.). In ref. to human affairs, it is attested from 1761. Vorticism as a movement in British arts and literature is attested from 1914, coined by Ezra Pound.
lamp: c.1200, from O.Fr. lampe (12c.), from L. lampas, from Gk. lampas "torch, lamp, beacon, meteor, light," from lampein "to shine," from PIE base *lap- "to shine" (cf. Lith. lope "light," O.Ir. lassar "flame"). Replaced O.E. leohtfæt "light vessel." Lamp-black (1598) is a pigment made from pure, fine carbon, originally from the soot produced by burning oil in lamps.
Selene: moon goddess, from Gk. selene "moon," related to selas "light, brightness, flame," from PIE base *swel- "to burn" (cf. Skt. svargah "heaven," Lith. svilti "to singe," O.E. swelan "to be burnt up," M.L.G. swelan "to smolder"); related to swelter, sultry. The element selenium was named in Mod.L. for Selene by Berzelius (1818), on analogy of tellurium, uranium, etc.
smoke (n.1): late O.E. smoca, related to smeocan "give off smoke," from P.Gmc. *smeukanan (cf. M.Du. smooc, Du. smook, M.H.G. smouch, Ger. Schmauch), from PIE base *smeug(h)- "to smoke" (cf. Arm. mux "smoke," Gk. smykhein "to burn with smoldering flame," O.Ir. much, Welsh mwg "smoke"). Smokestack is from 1862; smoke-eater "firefighter" is c.1930. Phrase go up in smoke "be destroyed" is from 1933. smoke alarm first attested 1936.
taper (n.): O.E. tapur, taper "candle," not found outside Eng., possibly a dissimilated borrowing from L. papyrus (see papyrus), which was used in M.L. and some Romance languages for "wick of a candle" (e.g. It. papijo "wick"), since these often were made from the pith of papyrus. Cf. also Ger. kerze "candle," from O.H.G. charza, from L. charta, from Gk. khartes "papyrus, roll made from papyrus, wick made from pith of papyrus." The verb meaning "to shoot up like a flame or spire" is attested from 1589; sense of "gradually decrease in size, force, etc." first recorded 1610.
phlegm: 1387, fleem "viscid mucus" (the stuff itself and also regarded as a bodily humor), from O.Fr. fleume (13c., Fr. flegme), from L.L. phlegma, from Gk. phlegma "inflammation, heat, humor caused by heat," from phlegein "to burn," related to phlox (gen. phlogos) "flame, blaze," from PIE base *bhleg- "to burn, be hot" (cf. Skt. bhrajate "shines," L. fulgere "to shine," fulmen "lightning," flagrare "to burn;" see black). Modern form is attested from c.1660. The "cold, moist" humor of the body, in medieval physiology, it was believed to cause apathy.