scintilla · noun — A small spark or flash. It carries an Arena rating of 1615, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, scintilla ranks #213 of 17,162 for Most Elegant Words, #248 of 17,166 for Most Vivid Words, #785 of 17,165 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,050 of 17,180 for Most Ingenious Words.
scintilla is pronounced /sɪnˈtɪlə/.
Why “scintilla” is a great word
A minute trace or spark of a specified quality, feeling, or substance. From the Latin scintilla ("spark, glittering speck"), first attested in English in the late 17th century. Unlike an iota, a mere measure of absence, or a trace, a neutral residue, a scintilla carries the latent heat of ignition. It is the first cold blue star perceived in the twilight, the single ember that survives the rain, or the glint in a weary eye that refuses to surrender—a fragile, flickering proof that from almost nothing, everything can begin again.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
Existing in English since the 17th century; borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”).
noun
- A small spark or flash.
- A small or trace amount.e.g.“a scintilla of hope”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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