Flame is the bright, dancing light you see when something burns. When you light a candle, that flickering glow at the top of the wick is a flame. Flames appear because burning releases energy as light and heat: the wax or wood or gas combines with oxygen in the air so fast that it glows.

Flames have fascinated humans since we first learned to control fire hundreds of thousands of years ago. A single flame can light a dark room, cook food, or keep you warm on a cold night. Different materials produce different colored flames: a wood fire burns orange and yellow, while a gas stove flame burns blue because it's hotter and burning more completely.

The word also describes something shaped like a flame. A maple tree's leaves turn flame-orange in autumn. You might paint flames on the side of a race car to make it look fast.

When used as a verb, to flame means to burn brightly or to burst into flames suddenly. A pile of dry leaves might flame up when sparked. People also use flame to describe intense anger or passion, like when someone's temper flares up in a heated argument, though this usage is less common in everyday speech.