Tinder

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪndÉ™(r)
• Homophones: tender pen-pin merger

Origin

From Old English tynder,

Online Etymology Dictionary

from tind. Compare to Swedish tända ("to light, to set on fire"), German zünden, Dutch tonder.

Noun

1. small dry sticks and finely-divided fibrous matter etc., used to help light a fire.

Usage notes

Tinder refers to the first stage of building a fire: sparks light tinder, which then lights kindling, which then lights the main fire.

Derived terms

• tinder box, tinderbox

Related terms

• teend

Coordinate terms

• kindling

Full definition of tinder

Verb

1. (transitive) To set fire to; torch.
• Herman Melville, Moby-DickIs heaven a murderer when its lightning strikes a would-be murderer in his bed, tindering sheets and skin together?