deflagrate

D2E1F4L1A1G2R1A1T1E1
UK/ˈdɛfləɡɹeɪt/

verb

To burn with intense light and heat.

Opposite
detonate
OriginLatin dēflagrātus →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

verbdeflagrate (third-person singular simple present deflagrates, present participle deflagrating, simple past and past participle deflagrated)

present singular third person deflagrates · participle present deflagrating · participle past deflagrated · past deflagrated

  1. natural sciencesTo burn with intense light and heat.
    1. natural sciencesSpecifically, to combust subsonically through thermal conduction.

      Antonyms: detonate

Synonyms & antonyms

verbSpecifically, to combust subsonically through thermal conduction.

Opposite
detonate
Broader
combust

Origin

  1. Latindēflagrō
  2. Latindēflagrātus
  3. Englishdeflagrate

First attested in 1727; borrowed from Latin dēflagrātus, perfect passive participle of Latin dēflagrō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + flagrō (“to burn”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian изгарям
  • изгарям (izgarjam)to burn with intense light and heat
Catalan deflagrar
  • deflagrarto burn with intense light and heat
Finnish humahtaa, leimahtaa
  • humahtaato burn with intense light and heat
  • leimahtaato burn with intense light and heat
French déflagrer
  • déflagrerto burn with intense light and heat
German verpuffen
  • verpuffento burn with intense light and heat
Italian deflagrare
  • deflagrareto burn with intense light and heat
Portuguese deflagar
  • deflagarto burn with intense light and heat
Spanish deflagrar
  • deflagrarto burn with intense light and heat
Cite this entry
APA

deflagrate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deflagrate

MLA

“deflagrate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deflagrate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deflagrate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deflagrate.

Source: deflagrate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.