ignition
noun
Simple meaning
Initiating combustion or catching fire.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihgnishuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪɡˈnɪʃən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The process of initiating combustion or catching fire
The act of setting something on fire
The initiation of combustion.
automotivemechanical engineering
The mechanism that ignites the fuel in an internal-combustion engine
automotivemechanical engineering
A system for activating combustion in a combustion engine.
The act of igniting.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The process of initiating combustion or catching fire
Used this way, ignition is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use ignition
- “She turned the key in the ignition to start the car.”
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
An induction coil that converts current from a battery into the high-voltage current required by spark plugs.
A device that prevents an automotive engine from starting.
A key that operates the ignition switch of an automotive engine.
A restraint incorporated into the ignition switch to prevent the use of a vehicle by persons who do not have the key.
Switch that operates a solenoid that closes a circuit to operate the starter.
The mechanism that ignites the fuel in an internal-combustion engine.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: initiating combustion or catching fire
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.