flamebait

F4L1A1M3E1B3A1I1T1

noun

Content in an online forum, such as a newsgroup, with the intent of provoking anger, resulting in flames and sometimes flame wars.

Similar
ragebait
OriginEnglish bait ← Middle English bayte ← Old Norse beita →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounflamebait (uncountable)
  1. InternetdateduncountableContent in an online forum, such as a newsgroup, with the intent of provoking anger, resulting in flames and sometimes flame wars.

    Synonyms: ragebait

Synonyms & antonyms

nounContent in an online forum, such as a newsgroup, with the intent of provoking anger, resulting in flames and sometimes flame wars.

Similar
ragebait
Also see
troll

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰel-
  2. Proto-Italic*flagmā
  3. Latinflammula
  4. Old Frenchflamble
  5. Old Frenchflambe
  6. Old Frenchflamber
  7. Middle Englishflawmen
  8. Englishflame
  9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeyd-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéydt
  11. Proto-Germanic*bītaną
  12. Proto-Germanic*baitijaną
  13. Old Norsebeita
  14. Middle Englishbayte
  15. Englishbait
  16. Englishflamebait

From flame + -bait (manipulation to elicit a particular response).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

flamebait. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flamebait

MLA

“flamebait.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flamebait. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flamebait,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flamebait.

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