Whats the difference?
Don't they mean the same thing?
Same for valuable and invaluable.
And why does clever guy and wise guy have opposite meanings?
You call a smart person a clever guy but a guy who acts smart a wise guy instead.
And many others too...
2007-04-17 22:53:05 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It is true that "flammable" and "inflammable" have the same meaning when used in the LITERAL sense -- mainly because the "in-" is NOT the negative prefix, as some may think. But one of the main reasons "flammable" is used for things like warning labels is that people DO get confused about the "in" and think it means 'NOT combustible".
Also, "inflammable" may be used metaphorically, as when referring to a person who is easily excitable.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inflammable
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/flammable
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As for valuable/invaluable - these do NOT have the same meaning. The latter is stronger: something "invaluable" is BEYOND calculating the value of, that is, "priceless".
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/invaluable
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/valuable
2007-04-18 15:47:54 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The prefix “in” as in inflammable skill “no longer” so inflammable skill no longer flammable. Now keep in mind which you're asking approximately liquid witch is a various fowl. by way of fact of this there are flash factors of beverages. If the stress of a liquid is extreme adequate to create vapors which will ignite around the temp of the earth -forty to + one hundred twenty (approximately) then it incredibly is a flammable liquid. Now to get complicated gas does not burn the vapors do
2016-12-26 12:54:56 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Flammable is not really a word. Trucks, etc., use it because the public mistakenly believes the correct word -- inflammable (capable of being inflamed) -- means "un-" flammable.
Valuable and invaluable are 2 different concepts. Things can be valuable or of some worth, but something that is invaluable is akin to being essential to your livelihood or well-being.
2007-04-17 23:05:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Flammable means the substance can burn or will light in contact with fire but inflammable means it will burst into flames. So an inflammable substance does not need a flame rather an ignition source like the microwaves of a mobile phone. get it?
2007-04-18 01:44:59 · answer #4 · answered by sam a 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
flammable means that the thing can catch fire easily and inflammable means a thing that cannot catch fire or catches fire but not very easily.
2007-04-17 23:03:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋