ignite
v.v. to start a fire or make something begin to burn. You can also use it to describe starting a strong feeling or an argument.
v. to set fire to something or to catch fire. Often used figuratively to describe the initiation of intense emotions, debates, or social movements.
The spark from the campfire helped ignite the dry leaves.
The chemist used a small electric charge to ignite the gas mixture inside the sealed chamber.
The senator's controversial speech served to ignite a nationwide debate regarding environmental policy, leading to widespread protests and calls for immediate legislative reform.
From Latin ignītus, past participle of igniō, ignire (“to set on fire, ignite”), from Latin ignis (“fire”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥gʷnis, and thus related to Sanskrit अग्नि (agní), Lithuanian ugnis, and Russian ого́нь (ogónʹ).
The verb can be used both transitively (to ignite something) and intransitively (something ignites).