incendiary
UK[ɪnˈsendiəri]US[ɪnˈsendieri]
adj
Designed to cause fires.
adj
Tending to stir up conflict or violence; inflammatory.
n
An incendiary bomb or device.
n
A person who stirs up conflict.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
cend
iary
in
cend
iary
Etymology
The word 'incendiary' traces its origins to the Latin verb 'incendere', meaning 'to set on fire'. This verb itself is composed of the intensive prefix 'in-' and the root 'candere', which fundamentally meant 'to glow' or 'to be white-hot', a concept reaching back to the Proto-Indo-European root kand- meaning 'to shine'. The literal sense of 'pertaining to fire-setting' is thus directly inherited. Over time, the term's application broadened metaphorically, applying the logic of igniting physical flames to the act of igniting passions, arguments, or conflict, leading to its modern figurative meaning of being inflammatory or provocative.
Analysis
Structure: in + cend + iary
- in (Latin): A prefix meaning 'in, into, on, upon'.
- cend (Latin): A root derived from 'candere', meaning 'to shine, to glow, to be white-hot'.
- iary (Latin): An adjectival suffix meaning 'of or pertaining to, connected with'.
Examples
The police found incendiary materials in the suspect's apartment.
His speech was condemned for its incendiary rhetoric.
The building was hit by an incendiary during the air raid.