incendō
The English phrase ignite is translated into Latin as incendō or ignio.
Meaning: to set fire to, to light (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| incendō | |
| ignio | [ˈɪŋ.ni.oː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈiɲ.ɲi.o] (narrow) |
Both words are verbs used to mean to set fire to or to light something.
Did you know?
- The root of ignio is ignis, which is a cognate of the Sanskrit word agni, the name of the Vedic god of fire.
- In Roman religious practice, the 'sacred fire' was kept alight by the Vestal Virgins, and allowing it to go out was seen as a catastrophic omen for the city.
- The word incendō shares a root with the Latin candēre, which means 'to glow' or 'to be white', and is the ancestor of the English word 'candle'.
Examples in context
- Incende crepitaculumIgnite the firecracker
Example conversation
Lucia and Lucius are starting a campfire.
- LuciaLuci, nūnc incendō focum.Lucius, I am lighting the hearth now.
- LuciusBene est, Lūcia.That is good, Lucia.
- LuciaTū mox ligna addēs.You will add wood soon.
- LuciusIta faciam.I will do so.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ignite” translations and entries ignio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
