"scintilla" meaning in English

See scintilla in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /sɪnˈtɪlə/ [UK, US] Audio: En-us-scintilla.ogg [US] Forms: scintillae [plural], scintillas [plural]
Rhymes: -ɪlə Etymology: Existing in English since the 17th century; borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”). Etymology templates: {{bor|en|la|scintilla||spark}} Latin scintilla (“spark”) Head templates: {{en-noun|scintillae|s}} scintilla (plural scintillae or scintillas)
  1. A small spark or flash. Translations (small spark or flash): искра (iskra) [feminine] (Bulgarian), vonkje (Dutch), étincelle [feminine] (French), bluette [feminine] (French), Fünkchen [neuter] (German), चकमक (cakmak) [masculine] (Hindi), आँच (ā̃c) [feminine] (Hindi), cintilo (Ido), cintileto (Ido)
    Sense id: en-scintilla-en-noun-CNqrAzeK Disambiguation of 'small spark or flash': 97 3
  2. (figuratively) A small or trace amount. Tags: figuratively Synonyms: modicum Translations (small amount): зрънце (zrǎnce) [neuter] (Bulgarian), sprankje (Dutch), greintje (Dutch), hitunen (Finnish), lueur [feminine] (French), brin [masculine] (French), once [feminine] (French), Spur [feminine] (German), Quäntchen [neuter] (German), крупи́ца (krupíca) [feminine] (Russian), ма́лая то́лика (málaja tólika) [feminine] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-scintilla-en-noun-XIci3Gpi Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 3 97 Disambiguation of 'small amount': 13 87
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: scintilla juris, scintillate, scintillation, scintillator, shine, stencil, tinsel

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for scintilla meaning in English (6.1kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "scintilla",
        "4": "",
        "5": "spark"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin scintilla (“spark”)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Existing in English since the 17th century; borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "scintillae",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scintillas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "scintillae",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "scintilla (plural scintillae or scintillas)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "scintilla juris"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "scintillate"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "scintillation"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "scintillator"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "shine"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "stencil"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "tinsel"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1890, Philosophical Magazine, page 364",
          "text": "If the action of the electrodynamic waves is so violent that, even without artificial electrification of the secondary conductor, scintillæ occur in its spark-gap, the aluminium leaves remain almost without change.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A small spark or flash."
      ],
      "id": "en-scintilla-en-noun-CNqrAzeK",
      "links": [
        [
          "spark",
          "spark"
        ],
        [
          "flash",
          "flash"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "iskra",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "искра"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "word": "vonkje"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "étincelle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bluette"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Fünkchen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "cakmak",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "चकमक"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "ā̃c",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "आँच"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "io",
          "lang": "Ido",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "word": "cintilo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "io",
          "lang": "Ido",
          "sense": "small spark or flash",
          "word": "cintileto"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "3 97",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "a scintilla of hope",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1876 February, John Tyndall, “The Controversy on Acoustical Research”, in Popular Science Monthly",
          "text": "And, if I except the sagacious remark of General Duane which has been so curtly brushed aside, not a scintilla of light has been cast upon these causes by any researches ever published by the Lighthouse Board of Washington.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1878 April, John Tyndall, “Illustrations of the Logic of Science IV”, in Popular Science Monthly",
          "text": "Now, it may be we have no scintilla of proof to the contrary, but reason is unnecessary in reference to that belief which is of all the most settled, which nobody doubts or can doubt, and which he who should deny would stultify himself in so doing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1990, William J. Brennan, Jr., Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health: Dissent Brennan, United States Supreme Court",
          "text": "Current medical practice recommends use of heroic measures if there is a scintilla of a chance that the patient will recover, on the assumption that the measures will be discontinued should the patient improve.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 September 4, Helena Smith, “Mykonos has had its fill of champagne-fuelled tourism”, in The Observer",
          "text": "It’s 3pm at Rizes, a farm in the heart of Mykonos, and there is not a champagne bottle in sight, a sunbed to lounge on, or a scintilla of music that might drown the sound of the winds breezing through the nearby bamboo.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A small or trace amount."
      ],
      "id": "en-scintilla-en-noun-XIci3Gpi",
      "links": [
        [
          "trace",
          "trace"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) A small or trace amount."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "modicum"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "zrǎnce",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "зрънце"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "word": "sprankje"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "word": "greintje"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "word": "hitunen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "lueur"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "brin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "once"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Spur"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Quäntchen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "krupíca",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "крупи́ца"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "13 87",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "málaja tólika",
          "sense": "small amount",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ма́лая то́лика"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/sɪnˈtɪlə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪlə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-scintilla.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a1/En-us-scintilla.ogg/En-us-scintilla.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/En-us-scintilla.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "scintilla"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 3-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English nouns with irregular plurals",
    "English terms borrowed from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪlə",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪlə/3 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "scintilla",
        "4": "",
        "5": "spark"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin scintilla (“spark”)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Existing in English since the 17th century; borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "scintillae",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "scintillas",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "scintillae",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "scintilla (plural scintillae or scintillas)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "scintilla juris"
    },
    {
      "word": "scintillate"
    },
    {
      "word": "scintillation"
    },
    {
      "word": "scintillator"
    },
    {
      "word": "shine"
    },
    {
      "word": "stencil"
    },
    {
      "word": "tinsel"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1890, Philosophical Magazine, page 364",
          "text": "If the action of the electrodynamic waves is so violent that, even without artificial electrification of the secondary conductor, scintillæ occur in its spark-gap, the aluminium leaves remain almost without change.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A small spark or flash."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "spark",
          "spark"
        ],
        [
          "flash",
          "flash"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "a scintilla of hope",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1876 February, John Tyndall, “The Controversy on Acoustical Research”, in Popular Science Monthly",
          "text": "And, if I except the sagacious remark of General Duane which has been so curtly brushed aside, not a scintilla of light has been cast upon these causes by any researches ever published by the Lighthouse Board of Washington.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1878 April, John Tyndall, “Illustrations of the Logic of Science IV”, in Popular Science Monthly",
          "text": "Now, it may be we have no scintilla of proof to the contrary, but reason is unnecessary in reference to that belief which is of all the most settled, which nobody doubts or can doubt, and which he who should deny would stultify himself in so doing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1990, William J. Brennan, Jr., Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health: Dissent Brennan, United States Supreme Court",
          "text": "Current medical practice recommends use of heroic measures if there is a scintilla of a chance that the patient will recover, on the assumption that the measures will be discontinued should the patient improve.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 September 4, Helena Smith, “Mykonos has had its fill of champagne-fuelled tourism”, in The Observer",
          "text": "It’s 3pm at Rizes, a farm in the heart of Mykonos, and there is not a champagne bottle in sight, a sunbed to lounge on, or a scintilla of music that might drown the sound of the winds breezing through the nearby bamboo.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A small or trace amount."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "trace",
          "trace"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) A small or trace amount."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "modicum"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/sɪnˈtɪlə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪlə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-scintilla.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a1/En-us-scintilla.ogg/En-us-scintilla.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/En-us-scintilla.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "iskra",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "искра"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "word": "vonkje"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "étincelle"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bluette"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Fünkchen"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "cakmak",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "चकमक"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "ā̃c",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "आँच"
    },
    {
      "code": "io",
      "lang": "Ido",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "word": "cintilo"
    },
    {
      "code": "io",
      "lang": "Ido",
      "sense": "small spark or flash",
      "word": "cintileto"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "zrǎnce",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "зрънце"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "word": "sprankje"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "word": "greintje"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "word": "hitunen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "lueur"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "brin"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "once"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Spur"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Quäntchen"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "krupíca",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "крупи́ца"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "málaja tólika",
      "sense": "small amount",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ма́лая то́лика"
    }
  ],
  "word": "scintilla"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.