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ignitability

ignitability

8.1
How easily a material catches fire, for example wood or fabric
  • noun
  • /ɪɡˈnɪtəˌbɪlɪti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ignitabilidad
  • The engineer explained that the ignitability of the chemical depends on its temperature and pressure.

Examples

  • Although incinerator ash was not listed as a hazardous waste, it nevertheless qualified as hazardous if it satisfied any of the four "hazardous characteristics" specified by federal law: namely, ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The characteristics upon which RCRA regulates certain wastes as hazardous are ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. Id. at sections 261.21-261.24.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Theoretical estimates confirmed the ignitability of the D-T mixture in the initiator, but, as in the theoretical document of 1945, did not confirm that nuclear combustion could ignite and propagate in the main body of thermonuclear fuel.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Some materials have low ignitability, making them safer to handle near open flames.

  • In construction, choosing products with low ignitability can help prevent fire hazards.

Synonyms

flammability
vsignitability
  • Specialized
1 6.1

How easily something catches fire and burns quickly

is the same idea but focuses especially on ease of ignition
combustibility
vsignitability
  • Specialized
1 7.1

How easily a thing catches fire and keeps burning

emphasizes easy ignition rather than sustaining combustion
inflammability
vsignitability
  • Specialized
7.3

Easily catches fire and burns quickly

is the same meaning but appears as an alternate form
combustibleness
vsignitability
8.6

A quality that allows something to catch fire and burn

focuses more on easy ignition rather than general burning capacity
burnability
vsignitability
  • Specialized
8.9

How easily something can catch fire

means easy ignition, not just being able to burn

How Flammable

flammability
  • Specialized
1 6.1
ignitability
  • Specialized
8.1
combustibility
  • Specialized
1 7.1

Surface Forms

ignitability singular

Morphology

ignitability = ignitable (transparent) = ignite + able + ity

Formed from 'ignite' → 'ignitable' (able to be ignited) → 'ignitability' meaning the quality/state of being able to ignite; the derivation is regular and easily inferable.

Etymology

Ignitability comes from the Latin ignis meaning 'fire' and from the familiar English verb ignite, which means 'to catch fire'. The -ability part means 'ability', so ignitability is how easily something can catch fire.