napalm

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Akkadian napṭumbor.?

Old Persian *naftahbor.

Ancient Greek νάφθα (náphtha)bor.

Latin naphthabor.

English naphtha

French -ènebor.

English -ene

English naphthene

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

Middle English -ik

English -ic

English na(phthenic)

▲

Spanish palmitocalq.

Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-?

Proto-Indo-European *pel-?

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂

Proto-Italic *palamā

Latin palmader.

Old French paumeder.

▲

Latin palmader.

Middle French palme

French palme

Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.

Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der.

Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der.

Latin -ītēslbor.

French -ite

French palmite

▲

English -ic

English palm(itic)

English napalm

Formed from na(phthenic) palm(itic) acid, the two original components of the substance.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈneɪ.pɑːm/, /ˈneɪ.pɑlm/

  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic US):

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Noun

napalm (usually uncountable, plural napalms)

1. A highly flammable, viscous substance, designed to stick to the body while burning, used in warfare as an incendiary especially in wooded areas. [from 1942]
   • 2013 April 1, Robert M. Neer, “PARIAH”, in Napalm: An American Biography‎^[1], Harvard University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 140:

     A trio of needle-nosed silver Phantom jets descended from the clouds and dropped a colossal load of napalm on the jungle. Flames turned the screen red and orange. Silence followed.
     “You smell that?” Kilgore said, almost to himself. Then, louder, “You smell that?” Lance, the champion surfer, asked “What?” Kilgore, lit by the glow of burning trees, retorted, “Napalm, son—nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed for 12 hours, and when it was all over I walked up; we didn’t find one of ’em … not one stinking dink body. But the smell—you know, that gasoline smell—the whole hill—it smelled like … victory.”

2. (figurative) Anything very incendiary; dynamite.

   When leaked, the controversial documents proved to be political napalm.

   sexual napalm

Derived terms

• antinapalm
• napalmer
• napalmlike
• prison napalm

Translations

flammable substance

• Basque: napalm
• Belarusian: напа́лм m (napálm)
• Bulgarian: напа́лм m (napálm)
• Catalan: napalm m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 凝固汽油彈 / 凝固汽油弹 (zh) (nínggù qìyóu dàn), 燒夷彈 / 烧夷弹 (zh) (shāoyídàn)

• Dutch: napalm (nl)
• Esperanto: napalmo
• Finnish: napalm (fi)
• French: napalm (fr) m
• German: Napalm (de) n
• Hindi: नेपाम (nepām)
• Hungarian: napalm (hu)
• Ido: napalmo (io)
• Japanese: ナパーム (napāmu), ナパーム弾 (ja) (napāmu dan)
• Korean: 네이팜 (neipam), 나팜 (napam) (North Korea)
• Macedonian: напалм m (napalm)
• Polish: napalm (pl) m
• Portuguese: napalm (pt) m
• Russian: напа́лм (ru) m (napálm)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: напалм m

  Latin: napalm (sh) m

• Spanish: napalm (es) m
• Swedish: napalm c
• Ukrainian: напа́лм m (napálm)
• Vietnamese: bom napan, napan

Verb

napalm (third-person singular simple present napalms, present participle napalming, simple past and past participle napalmed)

1. (transitive) To spray or attack with napalm. [from 1950]

Anagrams

• nam pla

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English napalm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaː.pɑlm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: na‧palm

Noun

napalm m or n (uncountable, no diminutive)

1. napalm

Derived terms

• napalmbom

Further reading

• napalm on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl

Finnish

Etymology

From English napalm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɑpɑlm/, [ˈnɑ̝pɑ̝lm]
• Rhymes: -ɑpɑlm
• Syllabification^(key): na‧palm
• Hyphenation^(key): na‧palm

Noun

napalm

1. napalm

Declension

Inflection of napalm (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		napalm	napalmit
genitive		napalmin	napalmien
partitive		napalmia	napalmeja
illative		napalmiin	napalmeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		napalm	napalmit
accusative	nom.	napalm	napalmit
	gen.	napalmin
genitive		napalmin	napalmien
partitive		napalmia	napalmeja
inessive		napalmissa	napalmeissa
elative		napalmista	napalmeista
illative		napalmiin	napalmeihin
adessive		napalmilla	napalmeilla
ablative		napalmilta	napalmeilta
allative		napalmille	napalmeille
essive		napalmina	napalmeina
translative		napalmiksi	napalmeiksi
abessive		napalmitta	napalmeitta
instructive		—	napalmein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of napalm (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative napalmini napalmini accusative nom. napalmini napalmini gen. napalmini genitive napalmini napalmieni partitive napalmiani napalmejani inessive napalmissani napalmeissani elative napalmistani napalmeistani illative napalmiini napalmeihini adessive napalmillani napalmeillani ablative napalmiltani napalmeiltani allative napalmilleni napalmeilleni essive napalminani napalmeinani translative napalmikseni napalmeikseni abessive napalmittani napalmeittani instructive — — comitative — napalmeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative napalmisi napalmisi accusative nom. napalmisi napalmisi gen. napalmisi genitive napalmisi napalmiesi partitive napalmiasi napalmejasi inessive napalmissasi napalmeissasi elative napalmistasi napalmeistasi illative napalmiisi napalmeihisi adessive napalmillasi napalmeillasi ablative napalmiltasi napalmeiltasi allative napalmillesi napalmeillesi essive napalminasi napalmeinasi translative napalmiksesi napalmeiksesi abessive napalmittasi napalmeittasi instructive — — comitative — napalmeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative napalmimme napalmimme accusative nom. napalmimme napalmimme gen. napalmimme genitive napalmimme napalmiemme partitive napalmiamme napalmejamme inessive napalmissamme napalmeissamme elative napalmistamme napalmeistamme illative napalmiimme napalmeihimme adessive napalmillamme napalmeillamme ablative napalmiltamme napalmeiltamme allative napalmillemme napalmeillemme essive napalminamme napalmeinamme translative napalmiksemme napalmeiksemme abessive napalmittamme napalmeittamme instructive — — comitative — napalmeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative napalminne napalminne accusative nom. napalminne napalminne gen. napalminne genitive napalminne napalmienne partitive napalmianne napalmejanne inessive napalmissanne napalmeissanne elative napalmistanne napalmeistanne illative napalmiinne napalmeihinne adessive napalmillanne napalmeillanne ablative napalmiltanne napalmeiltanne allative napalmillenne napalmeillenne essive napalminanne napalmeinanne translative napalmiksenne napalmeiksenne abessive napalmittanne napalmeittanne instructive — — comitative — napalmeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative napalminsa napalminsa accusative nom. napalminsa napalminsa gen. napalminsa genitive napalminsa napalmiensa partitive napalmiaan napalmiansa napalmejaan napalmejansa inessive napalmissaan napalmissansa napalmeissaan napalmeissansa elative napalmistaan napalmistansa napalmeistaan napalmeistansa illative napalmiinsa napalmeihinsa adessive napalmillaan napalmillansa napalmeillaan napalmeillansa ablative napalmiltaan napalmiltansa napalmeiltaan napalmeiltansa allative napalmilleen napalmillensa napalmeilleen napalmeillensa essive napalminaan napalminansa napalmeinaan napalmeinansa translative napalmikseen napalmiksensa napalmeikseen napalmeiksensa abessive napalmittaan napalmittansa napalmeittaan napalmeittansa instructive — — comitative — napalmeineen napalmeinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• napalmpommi

Further reading

• “napalm”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English napalm. First attested in 1953.

Pronunciation

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

napalm m (uncountable)

1. napalm

Further reading

• “napalm”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Polish

napalm

Etymology

Etymology tree

Akkadian napṭumbor.?

Old Persian *naftahbor.

Ancient Greek νάφθα (náphtha)bor.

Latin naphthabor.

English naphtha

French -ènebor.

English -ene

English naphthene

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

Middle English -ik

English -ic

English na(phthenic)

▲

Spanish palmitocalq.

Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-?

Proto-Indo-European *pel-?

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂

Proto-Italic *palamā

Latin palmader.

Old French paumeder.

▲

Latin palmader.

Middle French palme

French palme

Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.

Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der.

Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der.

Latin -ītēslbor.

French -ite

French palmite

▲

English -ic

English palm(itic)

English napalmbor.

Polish napalm

Borrowed from English napalm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈna.palm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -apalm
• Syllabification: na‧palm

Noun

napalm m inan (related adjective napalmowy)

1. napalm (highly flammable, viscous substance, designed to stick to the body while burning, used in warfare as an incendiary, especially in wooded areas)

Declension

Declension of napalm

	singular
nominative	napalm
genitive	napalmu
dative	napalmowi
accusative	napalm
instrumental	napalmem
locative	napalmie
vocative	napalmie

Further reading

• “napalm”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[3] (in Polish)
• napalm in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• napalme (uncommon)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Akkadian napṭumbor.?

Old Persian *naftahbor.

Ancient Greek νάφθα (náphtha)bor.

Latin naphthabor.

English naphtha

French -ènebor.

English -ene

English naphthene

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

Middle English -ik

English -ic

English na(phthenic)

▲

Spanish palmitocalq.

Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-?

Proto-Indo-European *pel-?

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂

Proto-Italic *palamā

Latin palmader.

Old French paumeder.

▲

Latin palmader.

Middle French palme

French palme

Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.

Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der.

Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der.

Latin -ītēslbor.

French -ite

French palmite

▲

English -ic

English palm(itic)

English napalmubor.

Portuguese napalm

Unadapted borrowing from English napalm. First attested in 1945.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /naˈpaw.mi/ [naˈpaʊ̯.mi], (careful pronunciation) /naˈpawm/ [naˈpaʊ̯m]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /nɐˈpal.mɨ/ [nɐˈpaɫ.mɨ], (careful pronunciation) /naˈpalm/ [naˈpaɫm]

• Rhymes: -awmi, -almɨ

Noun

napalm m (countable and uncountable, plural napalms)

1. (uncountable) napalm (inflammable, viscous substance used in warfare)
   • 1945 September 30, Hanson Baldwin, “Prova definitiva da superioridade da produção industrial em massa [The definitive proof of the superiority of mass industrial production]”, in O Jornal, volume XXVII, number 7800, Rio de Janeiro, page 1, column 2:

     Novas armas e equipamento, desenhadas e aperfeiçoadas para fazer frente ás necessidades no Pacífico, tambem^{[sic – meaning também]} tornaram possivel a consecução de muitas vitorias. Todavia, sómente algumas dessas armas podem ser mencionadas: […] a bomba Napalm, de gasolina gelatinosa, com detonador […]

     New weapons and equipment, designed and ameliorated to face the necessities of the Pacific, also made possible the attainment of many victories. However, only some of them can be mentioned: […] the napalm bomb, of jellied gasoline, with trigger […]

   • 2025 January 16, Jorge Marin, “Napalmirinha? Sem querer, influencer ensina a fazer Napalm em casa [Napalmirinha? Unknowingly, influencer teaches others how to make napalm at home]”, in TecMundo‎^[4], São Paulo: NZN, archived from the original on 16 January 2025:

     Um vídeo publicado recentemente no TikTok como uma dica caseira está agitando as redes sociais porque, ao divulgar um método para acender fogão a lenha e tapar buraco no telhado, a tiktoker Dany Felix ensinou, sem querer, uma explosiva receita de um dos agentes incendiários mais famosos do mundo, o napalm.

     A video recently publishd on TikTok with a household tip is shaking social media because, by sharing a method to lighting the woodstove and sealing holes on the roof, TikToker Dany Felix taught [her followers], unknowingly, the explosive recipe of one of the world'd most famous incendiary agents, napalm.

2. (countable, synecdochic) napalm bomb
   • 1983, Robertinho de Recife, Zé Ramalho, “Napalm” (1:05 from the start), in Orquídea Negra‎^[5] (LP), performed by Zé Ramalho, Rio de Janeiro: Epic:

     Nesses dias que temos pela frente / A qualquer hora um napalm pode lhe acertar

     /naˈpawm/

     In these days that lie ahead of us, a napalm bomb can hit you at any moment.

Further reading

• “napalm”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “napalm”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “napalm”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026
• “napalm”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French napalm.

Noun

napalm n (uncountable)

1. napalm

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	napalm	napalmul
genitive-dative	napalm	napalmului
vocative	napalmule

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from English napalm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nǎpalm/
• Hyphenation: na‧palm

Noun

nàpalm m inan (Cyrillic spelling на̀палм)

1. napalm

Declension

Declension of napalm

	singular
nominative	napalm
genitive	napalma
dative	napalmu
accusative	napalm
vocative	napalme
locative	napalmu
instrumental	napalmom

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Akkadian napṭumbor.?

Old Persian *naftahbor.

Ancient Greek νάφθα (náphtha)bor.

Latin naphthabor.

English naphtha

French -ènebor.

English -ene

English naphthene

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Indo-European *-ikos

Proto-Italic *-ikos

Latin -icuslbor.

Old French -iquebor.

Middle English -ik

English -ic

English na(phthenic)

▲

Spanish palmitocalq.

Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-?

Proto-Indo-European *pel-?

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂

Proto-Italic *palamā

Latin palmader.

Old French paumeder.

▲

Latin palmader.

Middle French palme

French palme

Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.

Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der.

Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der.

Latin -ītēslbor.

French -ite

French palmite

▲

English -ic

English palm(itic)

English napalmbor.

Spanish napalm

Borrowed from English napalm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naˈpalm/ [naˈpalm]
• Rhymes: -alm
• Syllabification: na‧palm

Noun

napalm m (uncountable)

1. napalm

Further reading

• “napalm”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Noun

napalm c

1. napalm

Declension

Declension of napalm

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	napalm	napalms
	definite	napalmen	napalmens
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

References

• “napalm”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “napalm”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Turkish

Etymology

From French napalm.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: na‧palm

Noun

napalm (definite accusative napalmı, plural napalmlar)

1. (chemistry) napalm

References

• “napalm”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu