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ignition

Pronunciation: /ɪgˈnɪʃ(ə)n/
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Definition of ignition

noun

[mass noun]
  • the action of setting something on fire or starting to burn:three minutes after ignition, the flames were still growing
  • the process of starting the combustion of fuel in the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine: a small amount of diesel fuel must be injected to allow ignition
  • [count noun] (usually the ignition) the mechanism for bringing about ignition in an internal-combustion engine, typically activated by a key or switch:she turned off the ignition

Origin:

early 17th century (denoting the heating of a substance to the point of combustion or chemical change): from medieval Latin ignitio(n-), from the verb ignire 'set on fire' (see ignite)

ignition in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ignition in the US English dictionary

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