noun
flint
flihnt
noun
1
A hard, fine-grained rock that produces sparks when struck against steel.
"Early humans used flint to make sharp tools and start fires."
2
A small piece of hard material used in a lighter to create a spark.
"The lighter wouldn't work until we replaced the flint."
How to Use Flint
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hard stone that sparks when struck, historically used for tools and fire-starting, and still used in some lighters.
Common pairings
flint and steel
flint tool
strike a flint
Word Forms
flinted past tense, flints plural, flints singular
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Etymology
From Old English flint, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "to split" — reflecting how the stone fractures into sharp flakes.