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pyrophoric (adj.)
"having the property of taking fire upon exposure to air," 1779, from Modern Latin pyrophorus, literally "fire-bearing," from Greek pyrophoros, from pyro- (see pyro-) + phoros "bearer," from pherein "to carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry"). Related: Pyrophorous.
Pyrophorus is by 1778 as the name of fine, powdery substances capable of catching fire spontaneously on exposure to air; with a capital P-, as the name given to the genus of the most brilliant of the American fireflies, from 1809.
updated on February 18, 2021
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Dictionary entries near pyrophoric
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pyromania
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pyrophoric
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pyrotechnician
pyrotechnics
pyrotechny
pyroxene