What does sufflate mean?
Sufflate is an uncommon English verb meaning to blow or puff from below, usually with the purpose of extinguishing a flame or fire. Its clearest traditional use is literal: air or another stream of gas is directed beneath a fire to put it out. The word can also appear in specialized descriptions of firefighting, combustion, and ventilation equipment. In ordinary conversation, speakers are more likely to use extinguish, smother, quench, or blow out. Sufflate has a formal, somewhat technical tone and is not a general-purpose substitute for every form of extinguishing. Its interest lies in its specificity and history: it comes from Latin sufflare, “to blow up,” which combines the prefix sub-, meaning “under,” with flare, “to blow.” The related English words inflate and deflate preserve the same broad association with blowing and air.
verbTo blow or puff from below, especially in order to extinguish a flame or fire.
- To blow or puff from below, especially to extinguish a flame or fire.
"The firefighter used a portable blower to sufflate the stubborn blaze."
"A steady stream of air was enough to sufflate the candles."
"The device is designed to sufflate fires in enclosed spaces."
Sufflate is a precise, old-fashioned word for the act of blowing out a fire from below.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sufflate come from?
Sufflate comes from Latin sufflare, meaning “to blow up,” formed from sub-, “under,” and flare, “to blow.” The English word developed in a technical and literary sense involving blowing from below or blowing out a flame. Its Latin relatives include inflate, deflate, and insufflate, all associated with the language of air, blowing, and inflation.
How sufflate is actually used
Sufflate is uncommon in modern general English and may sound technical or archaic. It is more often encountered in specialized writing than in everyday conversation.
Easily confused with sufflate
Inflate means to fill something with air or gas, whereas sufflate means to blow from below, especially to put out a fire.
Deflate means to remove air or gas from something, whereas sufflate means to blow or puff from below, particularly to extinguish a flame.