flint
Flint (noun) means a hard, fine-grained rock that produces sparks when struck against steel. Example: “Early humans used flint to make sharp tools and start fires.”
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.
Word forms
flinted past tense, flints plural, flints singular
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Early humans used _____ to make sharp tools and start fires.
Etymology
From Old English flint, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "to split" — reflecting how the stone fractures into sharp flakes.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for flint
See all rhymes for flint →Frequently asked questions
What does “flint” mean?
The word “flint” means a hard, fine-grained rock that produces sparks when struck against steel. In plain terms, a hard stone that sparks when struck, historically used for tools and fire-starting, and still used in some lighters.
How do you pronounce “flint”?
“Flint” is pronounced flihnt (/flɪnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “flint” in a sentence?
Here is “flint” used in a sentence: “Early humans used flint to make sharp tools and start fires.”
What part of speech is “flint”?
“Flint” is a noun.
Where does the word “flint” come from?
The word “flint” comes from Old English. From Old English flint, from Proto-Germanic roots meaning "to split" — reflecting how the stone fractures into sharp flakes.
Is “flint” a common word?
“Flint” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “flint” have?
“Flint” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hard, fine-grained rock that produces sparks when struck against steel.
What is flint used for in a lighter?
In a lighter, flint refers to a small piece of hard material that, when struck or scraped against a rough surface, creates a spark to ignite the fuel. This is a smaller, manufactured application of the same spark-producing property found in natural flint rock.
What is the difference between flint the rock and flint in a lighter?
Flint as a rock is a hard, fine-grained natural stone that produces sparks when struck against steel, historically used for tools and fire-starting. Flint in a lighter is a small manufactured piece of hard material designed to create sparks in the same way, but shaped specifically for that mechanism.
Why does flint produce sparks?
Flint produces sparks because it is extremely hard, so striking it against steel shaves off tiny hot fragments of metal that ignite in the air, creating visible sparks. This property made flint valuable historically for starting fires and firing early flintlock weapons.