SPARK
What does "SPARK" mean?
A small fiery or glowing particle thrown off by burning or by friction.
Meanings
- A tiny glowing fragment of fire or a brief electrical discharge. A single spark from the grinder set the dry grass alight.
- A trace, hint, or first cause of something larger. Her question was the spark for the whole investigation. figurative
- To set off, trigger, or stimulate something. The decision sparked protests across the country.
- To emit sparks. The frayed cable sparked when it touched the rail.
Did you know?
- A car's spark plug jumps a tiny lightning bolt across its gap dozens of times every second the engine runs, igniting fuel in a controlled explosion thousands of times a minute.
Word origin
From Old English 'spearca', a small glowing particle of fire, from a Proto-Germanic root; the figurative 'trigger' senses developed much later from the literal image.
Remember it
SPARK = S + PARK: imagine a single ember landing in a dry PARK and starting a blaze.
A little poem
One spark off the flint-
the dark forest does not know
if it brings warmth or ash.
haiku
Wordplay
- The electrician and the romantic both chase the same thing: a spark that catches and doesn't fizzle out.
What it teaches
Great fires and great ideas start the same way: one small thing that catches before anyone is ready.
Quick facts
What does SPARK mean?
A small fiery or glowing particle thrown off by burning or by friction.
Is SPARK a valid word?
Yes — SPARK is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SPARK?
SPARK has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SPARK come from?
From Old English 'spearca', a small glowing particle of fire, from a Proto-Germanic root; the figurative 'trigger' senses developed much later from the literal image.
What can SPARK teach us?
Great fires and great ideas start the same way: one small thing that catches before anyone is ready.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.