fuel
UK[ˈfjuːəl]US[ˈfjuːəl]
n
A substance such as oil, gas, coal, or wood that is burned to produce heat or power.
n
Something that sustains or encourages strong feeling, activity, or conflict.
v
To supply something with material that can be burned to produce heat or power.
v
To make a feeling or situation stronger or more active.
Etymology
The word 'fuel' entered English in the early 14th century from Anglo-Norman French fouaille, feuaile, which itself derived from a presumed Vulgar Latin term focalia. This Vulgar Latin word was a neuter plural reinterpreted as a feminine singular, stemming from the Latin focus, meaning 'hearth' or 'fireplace'. The semantic journey is direct and logical: from the concept of the 'hearth' as the center of the domestic fire, to the material that sustains that fire. Over time, its application broadened from literal combustible material to metaphorically describe anything that sustains or intensifies a process, emotion, or conflict.
Analysis
The word 'fuel' is a simplex loanword from Anglo-Norman French. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English spelling.
Examples
The plane had to land urgently after running out of fuel.
His inflammatory remarks only served to fuel the controversy.
Most of the country's power stations are fueled by coal.