Other forms: arsonists
An arsonist is somebody who sets fire to property on purpose. Catch the arsonist, a serial arsonist, the work of an arsonist.
Investigators look for the point of origin and for accelerants, and a fire that starts in several places at once is the classic sign. Arson is charged more seriously when a building is occupied. The word comes from the Latin for burning.
1nounarsonistSomebody who sets fire to property on purpose.
“Police believe an arsonist started the fire at the empty warehouse.”
arsonist is a criminal.
Arson plus -ist, from Old French arsun, from Latin ardere, to burn. Ardent is the same root.
Proto-Indo-European
*h₂eHs-
Latin
ardeō — to burn
Old French
arson
English
arson
English, today
arsonist
From arson + ist. arson comes from Anglo-Norman - and Old French arson, from the verb ardoir, from Latin ardeō (“to burn”). Compare ardent.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA