arson
UK[ˈɑːs(ə)n]US[ˈɑːrs(ə)n]
n
The crime of deliberately setting fire to property.
Etymology
The word 'arson' entered English in the late 17th century from Anglo-Norman French 'arson', meaning 'a fire'. This French term itself originated from the Medieval Latin 'arsio(n-)', a noun derived from the Latin verb 'ardēre', meaning 'to burn'. The ultimate source is the Proto-Indo-European root h₂eh₁s-, also signifying 'to burn' or 'to glow'. Thus, the modern legal term for the criminal act of intentional burning preserves the ancient core concept of fire, its meaning narrowed and specialized within the context of property crime.
Analysis
The entire word 'arson' functions as a simplex unit. It is a loanword from Anglo-Norman French, derived from the Latin verb 'ardēre' (to burn). The '-son' ending is not a productive English morpheme but a fossilized part of the borrowed word.
Examples
The historic barn was destroyed in a case of arson.
He was convicted of arson and sentenced to ten years in prison.
Investigators found evidence that pointed clearly to arson.