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> ‘Inflammable’ means flammable? What a country! -Dr Nick
by jackcosgrove 2y ago
> ‘Inflammable’ means flammable? What a country!
-Dr Nick
- denton-scratch 2y agoI think "inflammable" is a fake word.
- wongarsu 2y agoThat one's fun, because they don't really mean the same. It's just that there usually is no functional difference between the meanings. "to inflame" is to set something on fire. "to flame" is to be on fire. So something that's inflammable can be set on fire, something that's flammable can burn.
- Y_Y 2y agoI would have said the same thing as you, but it now occurs to me that something that is already on fire must be flammable but it is hardly inflammable since you couldn't set it on fire again (without first putting it out at least).
- wongarsu 2y agoYou could also argue that some things, like most metal powders, are barely inflammable (very hard to light) but are very flammable (once they do burn they burn really well and are hard to put out)
- Izkata 2y agoThe way it's used on warning labels, "inflammable" means it can combust without an obvious ignition. "Flammable" needs to be set on fire from an external source.