Matchstick
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈmætʃstɪk/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Matchstick is a noun meaning A small, slender piece of wood or cardboard serving as a component of a match.
Meaning
A small, slender piece of wood or cardboard serving as a component of a match.
More Meanings
- (chiefly in the plural) Any similarly small and thin piece.
Example Sentences
Holonym: match
The explosion blew the powder shed to matchsticks.
A piece of wood or cardboard becomes a matchstick once the end has been dipped in a sulfurous compound to turn it into a complete match.
Local workers hike up the side of the mountain and down into the crater at the top to harvest its sulfur—a byproduct of the gas that escapes from the volcano’s vents and collects near the shores of an acidic lake at the crater’s center. The chemical is used in industry worldwide, from making matchsticks to vulcanizing rubber, but Ijen’s sulfur goes mostly to local factories, which use it to bleach sugar.
Word Forms
- matchsticks
- match stick
Synonyms for matchstick
Depending on context, synonyms include shred, sliver, splinter.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include stick, firestriker, kindler, stake, chewstick, poker.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.