combustion

Etymology

From Old French combustion, from Latin combustio, from comburere (“to burn”), itself from the intensifying prefix com- + the root burere (a faulty sep. of amburere "to burn around", itself from ambi- + urere "to burn, singe"); equivalent to combust +‎ -ion.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈbʌs.t͡ʃən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

combustion (countable and uncountable, plural combustions)

1. (chemistry) The act or process of burning.
2. A process whereby two chemicals are combined to produce heat.
3. A process wherein a fuel is combined with oxygen, usually at high temperature, releasing heat.
4. (dated or archaicizing, figuratively) Violent agitation, tumult.
   • c. 1620s, Elizabeth Cary [misattributed to Henry Cary], The History Of the most unfortunate Prince King Edward II. […] , London: A.G. and F. P., published 1680, page 32:

     From this ground, with a kind of loose scorn, he continues the French Correspondence, and secretly contriveth a continuance of the Scotish Rebellion. He omits no Act of Contempt against the antient Nobility, that they might in the sence of their disgrace be, or at least dayly threaten some new Combustion.

   • c. 1665, John Worthington, “The Works of the Pious and Profoundly-learned Joseph Mede”, in Life, The Author:

     There [were] great combustions and divisions among the heads of the university.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 44–49:

     Him the Almighty Power / Hurld headlong flaming from th' Etherial Skie / With hideous Ruine and combustion down / To bottomless perdition, there to dwell / In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire, / Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms.

   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

     But say from whence this new combustion springs.

Etymology

From Old French combustion, from Latin combustiōnem, from comburere (“to burn”), itself from the intensifying prefix com- + the root burere (a faulty sep. of amburere "to burn around", itself from ambi- + urere "to burn, singe").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃.bys.tjɔ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: combustions
• Hyphenation: com‧bus‧tion

Noun

combustion f (plural combustions)

1. combustion, burning, incineration

Further reading

• “combustion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.