arson
AHR-sun
/ˈɑːr.sən/
The criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property.
A legal classification for intentionally malicious destruction by fire.
The story behind the word. Passed into English through Anglo-French arsoun, from Late Latin arsio (a burning), derived from Latin ardere (to burn, glow).
Word relationships
- incendiarism: Incendiarism is a more formal literary term, whereas arson is standard legal terminology.
- pyromania: Pyromania is an impulse control disorder, whereas arson is a criminal charge regardless of psychological motive.
Commonly confused with
- pyromania: Arson is the crime of setting fire; pyromania is the psychological obsession with fire.
Word family
- arsonist (noun): A person who commits arson.
Collocations
- commit arson
- arson investigator
- arson charges
Example sentences
- "The police arrested a suspect on charges of aggravated arson after the commercial fire." Legal Proceedings
- "Insurance investigators suspected arson when chemical accelerants were found in the basement." Insurance Investigation
Memory hook
ARSON is committed by an AR-SONIST who BURNS property. Illegal intentional burning.
When not to use
Do not use for accidental fires resulting from equipment failure or cooking mishaps.
Fun facts
- Arson investigators use specially trained accelerant detection canines (k9 units) that can smell drops of gasoline in burned rubble.
Related words
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