English
inflame
Inflame comes from Latin inflammō ‘to ignite, inflame’, from flammō ‘blaze, burn’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- ‘bright flame, fire’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰel-‘bright flame, fire’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*flagmā‘flame’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEflamma‘flame, fire’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEflammō‘blaze, burn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinflammōas inflammāre‘to ignite, inflame’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enflamer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inflammen
- Englishearliest quotation 1530inflame
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰel-‘bright flame, fire’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*flagmā‘flame’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEflamma‘flame, fire’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEflammō‘blaze, burn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinflammōas inflammāre‘to ignite, inflame’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enflamer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inflammen
- Englishearliest quotation 1530inflame
Earliest quotation: 1530, The Table of Verbes: “His lyver is al enflamed with drinkyng of hote…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- ‘bright flame, fire’
ball, bowl, bell, bull, bold, bald, boil, bale, blush, blur, blizzard, bleach, blaze, bolster, budge, sabha, blemish, phlegm, phallus, bolero, blithe, bola, phlox, bleat, blain, 73 more
through Latin flamma ‘flame, fire’
Today it means
verb To set (someone or something) on fire; to cause (someone or something) to burn, flame, or glow; to kindle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- / inflame