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comburant

comburant

9.9
A substance that helps fire start or keep burning, like oxygen
  • adjective
  • /kəmˈbjuːrənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : comburante
  • A fire needs both a fuel and a comburant to sustain itself.

Examples

  • Oxygen is the most common comburant used in industrial processes.

  • Scientists tested different comburant gases to study their effects on the speed of combustion.

  • Oxygen is a comburant that supports combustion.

  • The comburant properties of hydrogen make it useful in fuel cells.

  • Oxygen is the most common comburant used in industrial processes.

  • A fire needs both a fuel and a comburant to sustain itself.

  • Scientists tested different comburant gases to study their effects on the speed of combustion.

Synonyms

combustive
vscomburant
  • Specialized
1 8.2

Able to make something start burning or burn more easily

focuses on supporting combustion by acting as an oxidizer rather than igniting
comburent
vscomburant
  • Specialized
9.9

Able to make other things burn or keep them burning

emphasizes the chemical role of giving oxygen to enable burning

Surface Forms

comburant positive

Etymology

Comburant comes from Latin parts com- and urere, which together mean 'to burn', and you can see the same root in combustion and combustible. So a comburant is something that helps a fire burn, like oxygen.