Wiktionary

scintilla

English

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Etymology

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Existing in English since the 17th century;[1] borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”).

Pronunciation

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  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /sɪnˈtɪlə/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪlə

Noun

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scintilla (plural scintillae or scintillas)

  1. A small spark or flash.
    • 1890, Philosophical Magazine, page 364:
      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.
  2. (figuratively) A small or trace amount.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:modicum
    a scintilla of hope
    • 1876 February, John Tyndall, “The Controversy on Acoustical Research”, in Popular Science Monthly:
      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.
    • 1878 April, John Tyndall, “Illustrations of the Logic of Science IV”, in Popular Science Monthly:
      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.
    • 1990, William J. Brennan, Jr., Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health: Dissent Brennan, United States Supreme Court:
      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.
    • 2022 September 4, Helena Smith, “Mykonos has had its fill of champagne-fuelled tourism”, in The Observer‎[1]:
      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.
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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ The Concise Oxford English Dictionary [Eleventh Edition]

Further reading

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Anagrams

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French

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Verb

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scintilla

  1. third-person singular past historic of scintiller

Italian

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): */ʃinˈtil.la/
  • Rhymes: -illa
  • Hyphenation: scin‧tìl‧la

Etymology 1

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Borrowed from Latin scintilla.

Noun

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scintilla f (plural scintille)

  1. spark

Etymology 2

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Verb

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scintilla

  1. inflection of scintillare:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

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  • scintilla in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

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Etymology

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Most likely from Proto-Indo-European *ski-nto-, from *(s)ḱeh₁y- (“to gleam, shine”), which is the source of English shine.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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scintilla f (genitive scintillae); first declension

  1. spark
    • 1st century AD, Quintus Curtius Rufus, Historiarum Alexandri Magni Macedonis Libri Qui Supersunt; Book VI, Chapter III
      Parva saepe scintilla contempta magnum excitavit incendium.
      A small spark neglected has often roused to a great inferno.
  2. glimmer

Declension

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First-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative scintilla scintillae
Genitive scintillae scintillārum
Dative scintillae scintillīs
Accusative scintillam scintillās
Ablative scintillā scintillīs
Vocative scintilla scintillae

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Further reading

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