flammable

/ˈflæməbəl/

//ˈflæməbəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"flammable" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flammable” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,271. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,271
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Capable of burning.

Corpus desk

Index EN-flammable · flammable · English

flammable · rank #23,271 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,271
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH felon

Nearest frequency peer: felon (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “flammable”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “flammable” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for flammable
PropertyValue
Headwordflammable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈflæməbəl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#23,271
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “flammable”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).flammablelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “felon” (#23,270), “Flanagan” (#23,272), “footnote” (#23,273). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “flammable” is #23,271. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around flammable (IPA /ˈflæməbəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #23,271 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for flammable, with forms such as "falmmable", "fflammable", and "flamable". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from inflammable, which is used to avoid confusion with non-flammable, as the prefix in- is often used to mean "un-; non-", although it was originally meant in a sense closely related to en-. The correct English form is flammable, spelled F-L-A-M-M-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Capable of burning.
  2. 2
    Easily set on fire.
  3. 3
    Easily set on fire.
  4. 4
    Very likely to cause fighting or controversy; extremely contentious.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how flammable appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. flammable liquid
  2. In considering the possible commitment of U.S. forces to South Vietnam , the Joint Chiefs of Staff have reviewed the overall critical situation in Southeast Asia with particular emphasis upon the present highly flammable situation in South Vietnam.

Etymology

Back-formation from inflammable, which is used to avoid confusion with non-flammable, as the prefix in- is often used to mean "un-; non-", although it was originally meant in a sense closely related to en-.

This word in other languages

inflamable(Español)inflammable(Français)brennbar(Deutsch)inflamável(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • falmmable
  • fflammable
  • flamable
  • flamamble
  • flammabble
  • flammabel
  • flammablle
  • flammalbe
  • flammbale
  • flammible
  • fllammable
  • flmamable
  • lfammable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flammable - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

falmmable2fflammable1flamable1flamamble2flammabble1flammabel2flammablle1flammalbe2
Edit distance from "flammable"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "flammable"?
"flammable" is spelled F-L-A-M-M-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflæməbəl/.
What does "flammable" mean?
As an adjective, "flammable" means: Capable of burning.
What are common misspellings of "flammable"?
Common misspellings include "falmmable", "fflammable", "flamable", "flamamble", "flammabble". The correct spelling is "flammable".
How do you pronounce "flammable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flammable" is /ˈflæməbəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "flammable"?
Back-formation from inflammable, which is used to avoid confusion with non-flammable, as the prefix in- is often used to mean "un-; non-", although it was originally meant in a sense closely related to en-. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "flammable", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

greyhound#23,285Hendricks#23,296disgraced#23,242deceiving#23,230

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

euthanasia13 variantsfrontman13 variantsfurthest13 variantscranberry13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list