What term describes the process of burning something?

The term that best describes the process of burning something is combustion. Combustion is a chemical reaction that occurs when a substance, typically a fuel, reacts with oxygen to produce heat, light, and new chemical products, primarily carbon dioxide and water. This process is what we commonly refer to when discussing burning, as it encompasses the overall reaction that happens when materials ignite and produce flames.

While ignition refers specifically to the moment a substance begins to burn, and incineration is often used to describe the controlled burning of waste materials, combustion covers the broader chemical process involved in burning. Oxidation is a more generalized term that refers to the reaction of a substance with oxygen but doesn't always involve the release of heat or flames, as combustion does. Therefore, combustion is the most accurate term for describing the process of burning.