Etymology

flame

F4L1A1M3E1

Today it means: The visible part of fire; a stream of burning vapour or gas, emitting light and heat. Full definition →

Middle English flawme ← Old French flame ← Latin flamma
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flame · noun, adjective1

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰel-“to shimmer, gleam, shine”
  2. Proto-Italic · derived from*flagmā
  3. Latin · derived fromflammula
  4. Latin · derived fromflamma
  5. Old French · derived fromflame
  6. Middle English · inherited fromflawme
  7. English todayflame

From Middle English flawme, blend of Old French flame and flambe, flamble, the first from Latin flamma, the second from Latin flammula, diminutive of flamma, both from pre-Latin *fladma; Proto-Italic *flagmā, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shimmer, gleam, shine”). Displaced native Old English līeġ.

flame · verb2

  1. Old French · derived fromflamber
  2. Middle English · inherited fromflawmen
  3. English todayflame

From Middle English flawmen, from Old French flamber, flammer.

Words from the same roots

Old Frenchflame all →

aflame

Latinflamma all →

flamingoaflameflammagenitus

Latinflammula all →

flammule

Proto-Indo-European*bʰel- all →

bloodboldspellballoonflavorblazeblazerblushbleachbalebellowblemishblainblitheaflameCymbelineeffulgentBelenusbieldblikefilicologythrapple

Old Frenchflamber all →

aflame

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.