Arson is a crime of willfully and maliciously setting fire to or charring property. Though the act typically involves buildings, the term arson can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercraft, or forests.

What is the full meaning of arson?

: the willful or malicious burning of property (such as a building) especially with criminal or fraudulent intent Arson was determined to be the cause of the fire.

Is arson a bad word?

Notice that “arson” is the crime—the act of setting a fire. It's not the fire itself. For this reason, we think it's sometimes legitimate to use “arson” as an adjective modifying “fire.” ... But we agree that “arson fire” is often one word too many.