Advertisement
incombustible (adj.)
"incapable of being burned or consumed by fire," late 15c., from Old French incombustible (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin incombustibilis; see in- (1) + combustible. As a noun from 1807. Related: Combustibility.
Entries linking to incombustible
in- (1)word-forming element meaning "not, opposite of, without" (also im-, il-, ir- by assimilation of -n- with following consonant, a tendency which began in later Latin), from Latin in- "not," cognate with Greek an-, Old English un-, all from PIE root *ne- "not."
In Old French and Middle English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do (enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in- with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.
In Old French and Middle English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do (enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in- with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.
combustible (adj.)
"capable of burning," 1520s, from French combustible, or directly from Late Latin combustibilis, from Latin combustus, past participle of combuere "to burn up, consume" (see combustion). Figurative sense "easily excited" is from 1640s. As a noun, "a substance that will burn," from 1680s. Related: Combustibility (late 15c.).
Others are reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of incombustible
Dictionary entries near incombustible
incoherence
incoherency
incoherent
incohesion
incohesive
incombustible
income
incoming
incommensurability
incommensurable
incommensurate
