kindling

noun

kin·​dling ˈkin(d)-liŋ 

ˈkin-lən

: easily combustible material for starting a fire

Examples of kindling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those accumulate on the forest floor, and become perfect kindling for fires, igniting with even the smallest spark from a cigarette or lawn mower. —Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Salt blocks, animal horns or bones, even a small pile of wood kindling will be happily accepted. —Joan Morris, Mercury News, 14 July 2025

Ronnie Villanueva, the Los Angeles Fire Department’s interim chief, told The Times that his firefighters were on high alert for brush fires after months of light rainfall left heaps of dry vegetation ready to serve as kindling. —Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025

The next few weeks in particular are expected to bring hot, dry weather, which could turn all that veg to kindling. —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1522, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for kindling

• swindling
• rekindling

Kids Definition

kindling

noun

kin·​dling ˈkin-(d)liŋ 

: material that burns easily and is used to start a fire

Medical Definition

kindling

noun

kind·​ling ˈkin-dliŋ 

: the electrophysiological changes that occur in the brain as a result of repeated intermittent exposure to a subthreshold electrical or chemical stimulus (as one causing seizures) so that there develops a usually permanent decrease in the threshold of excitability