Definitions

1. noun

A woman who threw oil or other flammable substances during the 1871 Paris Commune, aiming to set buildings on fire to obstruct the advance of troops.

“The historian wrote extensively about the courageous actions of the petroleuses, who resisted the French army’s attempts to quell the uprising.”

2. noun

A woman who deliberately sets fires, especially as a form of protest or vandalism.

“The police were searching for a petroleuse who had set fire to several buildings in the downtown area.”