Word
kindling
Phoneticskin·dling, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɪndɫɪŋ/
UK/kˈɪndlɪŋ/
Españolastillas
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. small dry sticks or pieces of wood you use to start a fire.
n. small dry material, such as twigs or shavings, used to start a fire. Ignites readily and allows larger fuel to catch.
Examples
“We collect dry kindling to start the campfire.”
“He stacks newspaper and kindling under the logs before lighting the fireplace for the evening.”
“After the rain, finding dry kindling required searching under dense evergreens where fallen twigs had remained sheltered from the damp.”
Examples
simple
“We collect dry kindling to start the campfire.”
contextual
“He stacks newspaper and kindling under the logs before lighting the fireplace for the evening.”
complex
“After the rain, finding dry kindling required searching under dense evergreens where fallen twigs had remained sheltered from the damp.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “kindling” in context.
Verb
01. chop kindling
“He chopped kindling from old pine boards for the stove.”
verb + noun
02. gather kindling
“They gathered kindling in the woods before setting up camp.”
verb + noun
03. kindling burns
“The kindling burns quickly, so add logs right away.”
noun + verb
04. kindling catches
“The dry kindling catches in seconds with just one match.”
noun + verb
05. light kindling
“Light the kindling first, then add larger logs.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. damp kindling
“The damp kindling smoked heavily and would not catch.”
adj + noun
07. dry kindling
“We kept the dry kindling under the porch for winter fires.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. bag of kindling
“We bought a bag of kindling from the petrol station.”
noun + prep + noun
09. bundle of kindling
“He carried a small bundle of kindling back to camp.”
noun + prep + noun
10. bundle of dry kindling
“She set a bundle of dry kindling by the fire pit.”
11. chop wood into kindling
“He chopped wood into kindling for the morning fire.”
12. gather dry kindling
“We gathered dry kindling before the rain started.”
Real-World Examples
“Households burned splinters for light the way others burned pine kindling.” “As Prideaux showed me how to use resinous birch bark as tinder and pine branches for kindling, I asked him about bushcraft's purported mental health benefits.” “Kindling is more substantial than tinder, but unlike tinder, it probably won’t start with just a spark.” “Next comes kindling: dry sticks with diameters up to that of a pencil.” Etymology
From kindle + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/kindling
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0