matchstick

noun

match·​stick ˈmach-ˌstik How to pronounce matchstick (audio)
1
: a slender piece especially of wood from which a match is made
2
: something resembling a matchstick especially in slenderness
cut a carrot into matchsticks

Examples of matchstick in a Sentence

Cut the peppers into pieces the size of matchsticks.
Recent Examples on the Web Cut the zucchini into 4 equal sections, then cut each section into matchsticks. Bonnie S. Benwick, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Sometimes this is called a matchstick cut; Chinese chefs call it a strip cut. G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024 They’re cut into long, narrow matchsticks, like French fries, which lets the cream fully envelop their starchy irresistible nooks and crannies. Eric Kim, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 Chunks of meat, carrot matchsticks, barberries and plump chickpeas glisten amid the rice, and each bite is a hearty reminder of comfort at its finest. Devorah Lev-Tov, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2023 An adjacent kitchen is outfitted with granite countertops, a farmhouse sink, an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances and a breakfast nook embellished with an elegant matchstick chandelier. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2023 The left-most persimmon, delicately modeled with a single gray stroke as faint as the smoke of a matchstick, looks slick and faintly yellow, like ivory; the one beside it, the rich golden color of a fruit that is almost ready; and the one below, a darker orange, nearly overripe. Will Heinrich, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023 From what looks like a royal jewel chest, a server pulls tiny drawers housing accoutrements—hoisin, scallions, matchsticks of cucumber, pickles, honeydew melon—then demonstrates the optimal technique for wrapping slices of meat and garnishes into bing pancakes, plucked from a bamboo steamer. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2023 Second place: a matchstick igniting by the friction surface of a matchbox. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 17 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'matchstick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of matchstick was in 1791

Dictionary Entries Near matchstick

Cite this Entry

“Matchstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matchstick. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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