phlogistic

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adjective

Inflammatory; pertaining to inflammations and fevers.

OriginAncient Greek φλογιστός →
First used 18th c.Scrabble 18
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Meanings

adjectivephlogistic (comparative more phlogistic, superlative most phlogistic)

comparative more phlogistic · superlative most phlogistic · alternative phlogistick

  1. medicineInflammatory; pertaining to inflammations and fevers.First known use 18th c.
  2. historicalchemistryPertaining to or containing phlogiston.First known use 18th c.

    His experiments, with their phlogistic explanations, led him to believe that the only distinct species of air were the fixed, alkaline, and acid.

    2004, Robert E Schofield, The Enlightened Joseph Priestley, Pennsylvania State University, published 2004, page 100
  3. obsoleteBurning, fiery.First known use 18th–19th c.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
phlogistian

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekφλογιστός“flammable”
  2. Englishphlogistic

From Ancient Greek φλογιστός (phlogistós, “flammable”), from φλόξ (phlóx, “flame”); in chemistry sense reinforced by phlogist(on) + -ic.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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