arson

See also: ar son

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Anglo-Norman and Old French arson, from the verb ardoir, from Latin ardeō (“to burn”). Compare ardent.

Noun

arson (usually uncountable, plural arsons)

  1. The crime of deliberately starting a fire with intent to cause damage.
    carry out an arson attack
    • 2006, Paul Chadwick, Concrete: Killer Smile, Part two, p.34:
      Arson, like we thought. three punks doused a car, lit it, and took off.
    • 2019 April 12, Paul P. Murphy and Samira Said, “Louisiana arson suspect expressed disgust with Baptist churches on Facebook”, in CNN‎[1], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 2 November 2021:
      The motive for the fires is still under investigation, and federal officials are looking into whether a hate crime was committed. Matthews is charged with three counts of simple arson on a religious building.
Derived terms
Translations
See also

Verb

arson (third-person singular simple present arsons, present participle arsoning, simple past and past participle arsoned)

  1. (transitive, chiefly India) To illegally set fire to; to burn down in a criminal manner.

Etymology 2

From Middle English arsoun, from Old French arçon, from Vulgar Latin *arciō (“saddlebow”), from Latin arcus (“bow”); compare Italian arcione, Portuguese arção, and Spanish arzón.

Noun

arson (plural arsons)

  2. (obsolete) A saddlebow.
    • 1550, Edward Halle, “The xij. yere of King Henry the viij.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illuſtre Famelies of Lancaſtre and Yoꝛke‎[2], folio 78, recto:
      The kyng of Englande mounted on a freſhe courſer, the trapper of clothe of golde, of Tiſſue, the Arſon mantell wiſe […]
    • 1598, John Florio, “Arcione”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page 25, column 1:
      Arcione, the arſon or ſaddle bowe.
    • 1634, Matheo Aleman, “Wherein Guzman de Alfarache relateth the Story of thoſe two Louers, Ozmin and Daraxa”, in Don Diego Puede-Ser, transl., The rogue: or The life of Guzman de Alfarache‎[3], volume 1, pages 68–69:
      […] And putting vp good ſtore of gold and Iewels for that iourney, and taking with him a good horſe, that was browne Bay, with a Petronell hanging at the arſon of his Saddle […]

Anagrams

Middle English

Noun

arson

  1. alternative form of arsoun

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French arçon.

Noun

arson m (plural arsons)

  1. saddle

Old French

Etymology

From the verb ardre, ardoir, from Latin ardeō.

Noun

arson oblique singular, m (oblique plural arsons, nominative singular arsons, nominative plural arson)

  1. burning; fire
  2. arson
  3. sunburn
  4. burn (on the skin, etc.)

Descendants

  • → English: arson
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