noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

spark

SPAHK

Spark (noun) means a small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge. Example: “A single spark from the campfire set the dry grass alight.”

noun

A small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge.

"A single spark from the campfire set the dry grass alight."

A small trace of a feeling or quality that could grow into something bigger.

"There was a spark of hope in her voice."

"The two of them had an obvious spark from their very first date."

verb

To trigger or set off, especially an argument, idea, or reaction.

"The comment sparked a heated debate online."

To give off small bursts of electrical discharge.

"The faulty wire sparked every time the switch was flipped."

How to use spark

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA tiny flash of fire or electricity, or — figuratively — a small sign of something that could grow, like an idea or attraction.

Common pairings

spark an idea spark controversy spark of interest

Word forms

sparked past tense, sparked past tense, sparks plural, sparks plural, sparks singular, sparks singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

A single _____ from the campfire set the dry grass alight.

Etymology

From Old English spearca, from a Germanic root meaning "to scatter" or "to sprinkle," describing the way sparks fly outward.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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trigger ignite kindle provoke flicker glimmer

Related words

cause trip raise harry ray button flash dare

Rhymes for spark

ark lark dark mark Sark bark hark park shark stark Clark

See all rhymes for spark →

Frequently asked questions

What does “spark” mean?

The word “spark” means a small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge. In plain terms, a tiny flash of fire or electricity, or — figuratively — a small sign of something that could grow, like an idea or attraction.

How do you pronounce “spark”?

“Spark” is pronounced SPAHK (/ˈspɑɹk/ in IPA).

How do you use “spark” in a sentence?

Here is “spark” used in a sentence: “A single spark from the campfire set the dry grass alight.”

What part of speech is “spark”?

Depending on how it is used, “spark” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “spark” come from?

The word “spark” comes from Old English. From Old English spearca, from a Germanic root meaning "to scatter" or "to sprinkle," describing the way sparks fly outward.

Is “spark” a common word?

“Spark” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “spark” have?

“Spark” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge.

What is the difference between a spark and a flame?

A spark is a single small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge, and it lasts only a moment. A flame is the sustained, visible burning of a fire. Figuratively, a spark is the small beginning that can grow into a flame.

What is the difference between spark and ignite?

Ignite means to set something burning or start it directly, while spark means to give off tiny burning particles or, figuratively, to act as the small trigger that sets something off. In figurative use they overlap, but spark stresses the initial trigger and ignite stresses the resulting blaze.

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