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aflame

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 5 March 2026
An abandoned convent in Massueville, Quebec, Canada, aflame (etymology 1, adjective sense 1) and being attended to by firefighters.

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂en-der.
Proto-Germanic *an
Proto-West Germanic *ana
Old English on
Middle English a-
Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.
Proto-Italic *flagmā
Latin flamma
Old French flame
Anglo-Norman flaumebor.
Middle English flawme
Middle English a-flame
English aflame

    The adverb is derived from Late Middle English a-flame, from a- (prefix meaning ‘on’ forming adverbial phrases; or denoting being engaged in or occupied by an activity)[1] + flame, flaume, flawme (“flame”).[2] Flame, flawme is derived from Anglo-Norman flaumbe, flaume, and Old French flame, flambe, from Latin flamma, probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blaze, burn (?); bright flame, fire (?)”). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’ denoting a condition, manner, or state) +‎ flame (noun).[3]

    The adjective is derived from the adverb, which is attested earlier.[3]

    Adverb

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    aflame (comparative more aflame, superlative most aflame)

    1. Often preceded by set: in or into flames; so as to be burned by fire.
      • 1555 September 17 (date written; Gregorian calendar), James Anthony Froude, quoting James Brooks, Bishop of Gloucester, “The Martyrs”, in History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Death of Elizabeth, volume VI, London: John W[illiam] Parker, and Son, […], →OCLC, page 374:
        [T]hat blessed martyr, St. Thomas of Canterbury [Thomas Becket], sometime your predecessor, did withstand the unlawful requests of the prince of his time, but would still not only yield and bear with things not to be borne withal, but also set a-flame the fire already kindled— […]
        The spelling has been modernized.
      • 1576, George Whetstone, “The Castle of Delight: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 76:
        Thou wert the baite that Paris gave the dame, / Who in reward, ſet ſtately Troy aflame.
    2. (figurative) Often preceded by set.
      1. In or into a colour like that of a flame.
      2. In or into a state of great activity or emotion (anger, excitement, etc.).
    Translations
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    Adjective

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    aflame (comparative more aflame, superlative most aflame)

    2. With flames coming from it; burning, flaming, in flames, on fire.
      Synonyms: ablaze, afire
      • 1930 February 19, “Ten workmen killed in eastern naphtha refinery explosion”, in Louis C[hase] Hiner, editor, Rushville Republican, volume 26, number 299, Rushville, Ind.: The Republican Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6, column 6:
        Workmen employed in the alcohol plant rushed out, their clothing aflames[sic – meaning aflame] and many groping their way, blinded by the fire.
    3. (figurative)
      1. Having the colour of a flame.
        In autumn the trees are aflame with colour.
        • 1938–1939 (date written; published 1941), Vladimir Nabokov, chapter 8, in The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (Penguin Book; 2199), Harmondsworth, Middlesex [London]: Penguin Books, published 1964, →ISBN, page 61:
          His rather large pointed ears were aflame as they were when he was pleasurably excited.
        • 1950 January, Arthur F. Beckenham, “With British Railways to the Far North”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 8:
          As the train rumbled slowly over the Forth Bridge, the western sky was aflame with a particularly gorgeous sunset, and lights were twinkling from the small craft riding at anchor on the calm waters of the firth.
      2. In a state of great activity or emotion (anger, excitement, etc.).
        She said nothing and simply stared at him, eyes aflame.
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    Etymology 2

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    Etymology tree
    Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-?
    Proto-Indo-European *h₂u-s-?
    Proto-Germanic *uz-
    Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-
    Old English ar-
    Old English ā-
    Middle English a-
    English a-
    Old French flamberbor.
    Middle English flawmen
    English flame
    English aflame

      From a- (intensifying prefix) +‎ flame (verb).[4] Flame is derived from Middle English flamen, flaumben, flaumen, flawmen (“to emit flames, blaze; to shine like fire, gleam; to arouse (an emotion), kindle; to give off (an odour); of an odour: to issue; (cooking) to baste (meat) with grease; to glaze (pastry)”),[5] from Anglo-Norman flaumber, flaumer, and Old French flamber, flammer (“to blaze, burn”) (modern French flamber), from flambe, flamme (“flame”, noun)[6] + -er (variant of -ier (suffix forming verbs)). Flamme is derived from Latin flamma (“fire; flame”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-, bʰl̥g- (“to blaze, burn; to glow, shine; to be bright or brightly coloured (?); bright flame, fire (?)”).

      Verb

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      aflame (third-person singular simple present aflames, present participle aflaming, simple past and past participle aflamed)

      1. (transitive) Synonym of inflame (“to set (something) on fire; (figurative) to intensify or kindle (a feeling, such as appetite or passion); to intensify or kindle a feeling in (someone)”).
        • 2002, John L. Bell, “God’s Spirit is Here”, in One is the Body: Songs of Unity and Diversity, Chicago, Ill.: GIA Publications, →ISBN, verse 3, page 79:
          So that we might serve God, / confirmed from above, / she [the Holy Spirit] tests us with fire / and aflames us with love.
        • 2002, Hillel Halkin, “The People Driven from Their Land by a Long-tailed Wildcat”, in Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 287:
          Through nights while great darkness, / I aflamed killed beasts' heads, […]
        • 2010, Phil Rickman, “Awe and Stupor”, in The Bones of Avalon: […], London: Corvus, Grove Atlantic, →ISBN, page 64:
          I had intended, […] to refresh my mind, wearied with long study, when a burning desire to read and learn aflamed me afresh …
      2. (intransitive) Chiefly in the present participle: to be in flames or on fire; to blaze, to flare up.
        • 1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “The Loves of Al-Hayfa and Yusuf. [Night 693.]”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume V, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 180:
          [A]s regards Prince Yusuf, when Ibn Ibrahim left him, he felt love-lowe aflaming in his heart, […]
        • 2006, Merrilee Browne Boyack, “No, Really, How Can I Change Him?”, in Strangling Your Husband is Not an Option: A Practical Guide to Dramatically Improving Your Marriage, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, →ISBN, page 134:
          She "believeth all things" and always gives him the benefit of the doubt. She "hopeth all things" will work out well, and keepeth that hope aflameth in her heart. (Yes, I'm having fun with this.)
          An archaism for humorous effect.
        • 2007, d’bi.young anitafrika, “Seven Generashuns: For the Ones yet to Come”, in Rivers … and Other Blackness … between Us: (Dub) Poems of Love, Toronto, Ont.: Women’s Press, →ISBN, part 3 (… Between Us), section (i), stanza 3, page 88:
          concrete jungle fires / that mirror this unruly blaze / aflamed / in my heart
      Translations
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      References

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      1. ^ “a-, pref.(2)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
      2. ^ “flaume, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
      3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 “aflame, adv. and adj.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “aflame, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
      4. ^ “aflame, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
      5. ^ “flaumen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
      6. ^ “flame, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2025; “flame, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
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