conflagrate

The story

1. Latin · borrowed fromcōnflāgrātus
2. English todayconflagrate

First attested in 1657; borrowed from Latin cōnflāgrātus, perfect passive participial of cōnflāgrō (“to be consumed by fire; (rare) to set aflame”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

First known use, by meaning

• 17th century to the present To catch fire.
• 17th century to the present To set fire to something.