Setting something on fire or causing it to burn; starting a process or conflict by providing a spark or trigger.
From Latin 'ignis' (fire) plus the suffix '-ate,' forming the verb 'ignite.' The root 'ignis' also appears in 'igneous' rocks and has been used since ancient Roman times.
The metaphor of 'igniting passion' or 'igniting a revolution' is powerful because actual fire needs three things (fuel, heat, oxygen), and so do social movements—you need people (fuel), emotion (heat), and the right moment (oxygen).
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