Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person who has a compulsion to set fires; a pyromaniac.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In photography, an abbreviation of pyrogallol.
  • An element in many words of Greek origin or formation, meaning ‘fire.’

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Photog.), colloq. Abbreviation of pyrogallic acid.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun slang a pyromaniac
  • noun pyrocellulose
  • noun pyrotechnician
  • noun pyrotechnics
  • noun informal, photography, archaic pyrogallic acid
  • adjective pyromaniac, pyromaniacal
  • adjective pyrotechnic

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

By shortening from pyromaniac or pyrocellulose.

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Examples

  • The Iranians were conducting so-called pyro-processing experiments to remove impurities from uranium metal, thus opening another route for the mullahs to build a nuclear device.

    Iran's Nuclear Progress 2010

  • I've mentioned 26 what I would call pyro events that have to happen.

    CNN Transcript May 25, 2008 2008

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • Carving techniques include scratching on the outer shell, fine-line hatching or a combination of what is known as pyro-engraving to create geometric drawings and iconographic scenes.

    The Daily News - News 2010

Comments

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  • Short for pyromaniac.

    October 18, 2008