Word
arson
Phoneticsar·son
US/ˈɑɹsən/
UK/ˈɑːsən/
Definition
n. the crime of starting a fire on purpose to destroy something, like a house or a car.
n. the felony of intentionally and maliciously setting fire to structures or property.
Examples
“The police suspect arson after finding two separate fires.”
“Investigators ruled out electrical faults and confirmed the blaze was an act of arson.”
“The insurance investigator noted the presence of accelerants, suggesting the fire was not accidental but a calculated act of arson designed to trigger a payout.”
Examples
simple
“The police suspect arson after finding two separate fires.”
contextual
“Investigators ruled out electrical faults and confirmed the blaze was an act of arson.”
complex
“The insurance investigator noted the presence of accelerants, suggesting the fire was not accidental but a calculated act of arson designed to trigger a payout.”
Usage
uncountable
Real-World Examples
“Arson has also not been ruled out in a fire at a factory in Lublin on Sunday night.” “No group has claimed responsibility for the arson attacks.” Etymology
From Anglo-Norman and Old French arson, from the verb ardoir, from Latin ardeō (“to burn”). Compare ardent.
From Middle English arsoun, from Old French arçon, from Vulgar Latin *arciō (“saddlebow”), from Latin arcus (“bow”); compare Italian arcione, Portuguese arção, and Spanish arzón.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/arson