2006-10-02 05:33:06 · 9 answers · asked by Andy M 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
The word inflammable actually came into use first, to mean combustable, or easily set fire to.
However, as the prefix "in-" in inflammable can be confused as to be a negative of the term, and thus the term be misconstrued as to mean not easily set fire to, the word "flammable" was later introduced.
2006-10-02 05:40:25 · answer #1 · answered by k² 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They do mean the same thing here it is straight out of the dictionary:
in‧flam‧ma‧ble
–adjective 1. capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable.
2. easily aroused or excited, as to passion or anger; irascible: an inflammable disposition.
–noun 3. something inflammable.
flam‧ma‧ble
–adjective easily set on fire; combustible; inflammable.
Usage Note: Historically, flammable and inflammable mean the same thing. However, the presence of the prefix in- has misled many people into assuming that inflammable means “not flammable” or “noncombustible.” The prefix -in in inflammable is not, however, the Latin negative prefix -in, which is related to the English -un and appears in such words as indecent and inglorious. Rather, this -in is an intensive prefix derived from the Latin preposition in. This prefix also appears in the word enflame. But many people are not aware of this derivation, and for clarity's sake it is advisable to use only flammable to give warnings
2006-10-02 05:50:59 · answer #2 · answered by Spacysam 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This question has been asked and answered in Yahoo Answers MANY times...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuoKRQl2HhLCaA28x9ysTvgjzKIX?qid=1006012613795
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AthXJKCPAcaB12WBcEerMIUjzKIX?qid=1006040106585
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ar_9VIC_hzrXwvtUsQ_5fI8jzKIX?qid=1006050203342
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhbivGWG9EoKIQNqPOSRnuMjzKIX?qid=1006041023591
and those are just some... you couldn't even be bothered to look WITHIN THIS SITE to see if the answer was alreay HERE?
2006-10-02 05:43:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
the english language is messed up
2006-10-02 05:42:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well all is prone to flames i guess one flames faster
2006-10-02 07:16:47 · answer #5 · answered by adwoa 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sorry, but they don't mean the same thing.
'Flamable' means 'something that CAN burn.'
'Inflamable' means 'something that which can Not burn.'
You have the wrong end of some stick or the other, somewhere.
Sash.
2006-10-02 05:40:59 · answer #6 · answered by sashtou 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
to confuse people
2006-10-02 05:40:39 · answer #7 · answered by Lucy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought that was what the Pople was...
2006-10-02 05:43:20 · answer #8 · answered by Roxy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't !!!
2006-10-02 05:36:27 · answer #9 · answered by IloveMarmite 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋