arsonist
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GC: n

S: ABC – https://goo.gl/z2xLr5 (last access: 4 November 2017); FCN – https://goo.gl/ByAx7z (last access: 4 November 2017).

N: 1. 1864, from arson (“malicious burning of property,” 1670s, from Anglo-French arsoun (late 13c.), Old French arsion, from Late Latin arsionem (nominative arsio) “a burning,” noun of action from past participle stem of Latin ardere “to burn,” from PIE root *as- “to burn, glow”; the Old English term was bærnet, literally “burning;”) + -ist (word-forming element meaning “one who does or makes,” also used to indicate adherence to a certain doctrine or custom, from French -iste and directly from Latin -ista, from Greek agent-noun ending -istes, which is from -is-, ending of the stem of verbs in -izein, + agential suffix -tes).
2. Arson: the crime of intentionally starting a fire in order to damage or destroy something.
3. (One who sets fires) with a deliberate, recognizable motive, such as financial gain, revenge, desperation, frustration, or other personal ends (such as rebellion against the community social structure and political institutions).
4. Difference between an “arsonist” and a “pyromaniac”:

  • An arsonist has a criminal motivation or a feeling of revenge while a pyromaniac is a psychological disorder.
  • An arsonist’s behavior is common while pyromania is a rare disorder.

5. Collocations (same ones as “arson”):

  • Adj.: attempted.
  • arson, arsonist + noun: attack.

6. Cultural Interrrelation: We can mention the novel The Arsonist (2014) written by Sue Miller.

S: 1. OED – http://www.goo.gl/2Qt4RF; http://www.goo.gl/6Bdaw2; http://www.goo.gl/sDf1pc (last access: 9 November 2017). 2. CD – https://goo.gl/GNAxuj (last access: 4 November 2017). 3. TERMIUM PLUS – http://www.goo.gl/gzeHfV (last access: 9 November 2017). 4. DB – http://www.goo.gl/Se1q2Z (last access: 9 November 2017). 5. OCD – http://www.goo.gl/YVEdBj (last access: 9 November 2017). 6. NYTIMES – http://www.goo.gl/NPqeQ1 (last access: 9 November 2017).

SYN: firesetter, firebug, torch, fire raiser (UK), incendiarist, incendiary. (context)

S: TERMIUM PLUS – http://www.goo.gl/gzeHfV (last access: 9 November 2017)

CR: fire, pyromania, pyromaniac.