ablaze
UK[əˈbleɪz]US[əˈbleɪz]
adj
burning strongly and with flames
adj
(especially of a person's face) very bright or red, especially because of excitement or strong emotion
adj
brightly lit up or brightly coloured
Morpheme Breakdown
a
blaze
a
prefix
blaze
root
Etymology
the word 'ablaze' is a native english formation, combining the old english intensive or state-indicating prefix 'a-' with the noun 'blaze', which itself derives from the old english 'blæse', meaning 'torch' or 'bright flame'. this construction follows a common pattern in english where the prefix 'a-' is attached to a noun or verb to form a predicative adjective describing a state, as seen in 'asleep' or 'awash'. the literal sense of 'on fire' naturally extended to metaphorical uses describing anything exhibiting intense brightness, colour, or emotion, capturing the vivid and uncontrolled quality of a fire.
Analysis
Structure: a (prefix) + blaze (root)
a: a prefix of Old English origin, indicating a state or condition (as in 'asleep', 'awake').
blaze: a noun of Old English origin, meaning a bright flame or fire.
Examples
within minutes, the whole building was ablaze.
her face was ablaze with anger.
the autumn trees set the hillside ablaze with colour.