Inflammable: In Flames or Un-Flammable?

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and let’s settle this question once and for all: What does it mean to say that something is inflammable? Inflammable, despite the misleading prefix, means the same thing as flammable. That is, it refers to something easily set on fire. That prefix, by the way, comes from Latin and literally means “in” or “into.” Saying something is inflammable is essentially saying it is in flames. A common misconception is that inflammable means both “easily set on fire” and “not easily set on fire.” In fact, fortunately, the meaning of inflammable is clearly defined. It only means “easily set on fire.” The correct way to say that something is not easily set on fire is actually nonflammable. Or, to reduce confusion, you might also say incombustible. Which … kind of makes things worse, because it has the same prefix but means the opposite thing … but … that’s English for you. That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.