splinter

¹splin·ter

noun \ˈsplin-tər\

Definition of SPLINTER

1

a : a thin piece split or broken off lengthwise : sliver

b : a small needlelike particle

2

: a group or faction broken away from a parent body

— splinter adjective

— splin·tery \ˈsplin-tə-rē, -trē\ adjective

Examples of SPLINTER

1. I got a splinter in my finger.
2. There were splinters of glass everywhere.

Origin of SPLINTER

Middle English, from Middle Dutch; akin to Middle Low German splinte splint

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SPLINTER

Synonyms

flake, sliver, spall, splint, chip

Related Words

bit, disk (or disc), fragment, part, particle, portion, scrap, section, shard; flinders, shiver, smithereens; shred, tatter; clipping, paring, shave, shaving, snippet; leaf, sheet, slice

Near Antonyms

chunk, hunk, lump, slab

Rhymes with SPLINTER

hinter, linter, minter, Pinter, printer, sinter, sprinter, squinter, tinter, winter

²splinter

verb

splin·teredsplin·ter·ing \ˈsplin-tə-riŋ, -triŋ\

Definition of SPLINTER

transitive verb

1

: to split or rend into long thin pieces : shiver

2

: to split into fragments, parts, or factions

intransitive verb

: to become splintered

Examples of SPLINTER

1. The board splintered under his weight.
2. The impact of the crash splintered the glass.
3. groups that have splintered off to form new political movements
4. a political party that has been splintered by disagreements

First Known Use of SPLINTER

1582

Related to SPLINTER

Synonyms

slice, sliver

Related Words

chip, chop, dice, hash, julienne, mince; saw, scissor; cleave, rive, split; gash, incise, rip, slash, slit

splin·ter

noun \ˈsplint-ər\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SPLINTER

: a thin piece (as of wood) split or broken off lengthwise; especially : such a piece embedded in the skin <used tweezers to remove a splinter>

—splinter transitive verb, splin·tered; splin·ter·ing \ˈsplint-ə-riŋ, ˈsplin-triŋ\ (audio pronunciation)