combustion
/kəmˈbʌstʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1The process of burning something: the combustion of fossil fuels [as modifier]: a large combustion plant...
- Although greenhouse gases come from many sources, fossil fuel combustion is the prime human-induced source.
- Twenty-five percent of total worldwide emissions come from fossil fuel combustion.
- More traditionally, wood gas has been used to drive internal combustion piston engines.
Synonyms
burning, firing, kindling, igniting, ignition
1.1 Chemistry Rapid chemical combination of a substance with oxygen, involving the production of heat and light.Heat causes combustion by increasing the oxidation rate of the fuel/oxygen mix....
- Enols are less stable than carbonyls, and standard combustion mechanisms assume that they do not play a role.
- Nitroglycerin is an explosive because no outside source of oxygen is needed for its complete combustion.
Derivatives
combustive
- In the title role, she was pure combustive passion.
- As spats go it was a fairly combustive one, and one which could have had a bloody conclusion when the veteran gunslinger and the new kid on the block met for their showdown in the Gleneagles Hotel dining room.
- We believed the fireballs were a result of the carbon particles, oil, and combustive gases causing explosions in the exhaust cans, and the explosions created back pressure, resulting in hung stalls.
Origin
Late Middle English: from late Latin combustio(n-), from Latin comburere 'burn up'.
This word is from late Latin combustio(n-), from Latin comburere ‘burn up’.