arson

Meanings

Noun

• The crime of deliberately starting a fire with intent to cause damage.
• A saddlebow.

Verb

• To illegally set fire to; to burn down in a criminal manner.

Origin

• From Anglo-Norman and Old French arson, from the verb ardoir, from Latin ardeō ("to burn"). Compare ardent.
• From Middle English arsoun, from Old French arçon, from Vulgar Latin *arciō, from Latin arcus; compare Italian arcione, Portuguese arção, and Spanish arzón.