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arson (n.)

"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;" and Coke has indictment of burning (1640).

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Definitions of arson from WordNet

arson (n.)
malicious burning to destroy property;
the British term for arson is fire-raising
Synonyms: incendiarism / fire-raising
From wordnet.princeton.edu