pyrophoric

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py·ro·phor·ic

(pī′rə-fôr′ĭk)

adj.

1. Spontaneously igniting in air.

2. Producing sparks by friction.

[From pyrophorus, substance that ignites spontaneously : from Greek purophoros, fire-bearing : puro-, pyro- + -phoros, -phorous.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pyrophoric

(ˌpaɪrəʊˈfɒrɪk) or

pyrophorous

adj

1. (Chemistry) (of a chemical) igniting spontaneously on contact with air

2. (General Physics) (of an alloy) producing sparks when struck or scraped: lighter flints are made of pyrophoric alloy.

[C19: from New Latin pyrophorus, from Greek purophoros fire-bearing, from pur fire + pherein to bear]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

py•ro•phor•ic

(ˌpaɪ rəˈfɔr ɪk, -ˈfɒr-)

adj.

capable of igniting spontaneously in air.

[1830–40; < Greek pyrophór(os) fire-bearing]

Translations

pyrophorique

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References in periodicals archive ?

This is inferred from the absence of experimental fluid pyrophoricity, because a laboratory technique was not found that could directly measure TMA.

Examination of the reactions of R-40 with R-134a and POE refrigeration system materials

Malpass, "Appendix A: Pyrophoricity of metal alkyls," in Handbook of Transition Metal Polymerization Catalysts, R.

Thermochemical analysis of hypergolic propellants based on triethylaluminum/nitrous oxide

These odors come about because of a phenomenon properly called pyrophoricity. That is, certain solids in the presence of oxygen are capable of spontaneously bursting into flames--autoigniting.