Incendiary comes from the Latin word incendium, meaning “fire” or “conflagration.” In English, it has been used since the late 15th century to describe something that is used for setting property on fire, or that tends to arouse strife or sedition. Incendiary devices can take many forms, from bombs and explosives to inflammatory rhetoric and propaganda. Today, incendiary remains a commonly used word in English, and is often associated with danger, conflict, and social unrest.
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