arson

UK: /ˈɑː^rs^ən/ US: /ˈɑrsən/ ,(är′sən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ar•son /ˈɑrsən/   n. [uncountable]

1. Law the crime of deliberately setting fire to property.

ar•son•ist, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ar•son  (är′sən), n. 

1. Law the malicious burning of another's house or property, or in some statutes, the burning of one's own house or property, as to collect insurance.

• Late Latin ārsiōn- (stem of ārsiō) a burning, equivalent. to ārs- (Latin ārd(ere) to burn (compare ardent) + -t(us) past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion
• Anglo-French, Old French
• 1670–80

ar′son•ous, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arson / ˈɑːs^ən/ noun

1. the act of intentionally or recklessly setting fire to another's property or to one's own property for some improper reason

Etymology: 17th Century: from Old French, from Medieval Latin ārsiō, from Latin ārdēre to burn; see ardent

ˈarsonist noun