Combustion
/kəmˈbʌʃ(ə)n/
nounIntermediateCommonScience
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
A rapid chemical reaction between a substance and an oxidant, usually oxygen, involving the production of heat and light.
/kəmˈbʌʃ(ə)n/
nounneutralIntermediate
Science
The process of burning something.
The engine relies on the combustion of gasoline.
💡 Simply: Combustion is like a super-fast burning. Think of a bonfire – that's combustion! It's a chemical reaction where something burns quickly and creates heat and light.
👶 For kids: It's when something burns really, really fast!
More Examples
2
The rapid combustion caused a fire.
How It's Used
Science
"The rapid combustion of fuel in an engine produces power."
Engineering
"Understanding combustion is crucial for designing efficient engines."
From Latin *combūrere, meaning "to burn completely".
The word has been used in scientific contexts since the 17th century.
Memory tip
Think of 'combust' – to burn – and 'ion' suggesting a process.
Practice
Base: combustion
combushioncombuston
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written