# kindling

/ˈkɪndɫɪŋ/ (US) · /kˈɪndlɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kindling
Updated: 2026-10-20

## Definition

small dry sticks or pieces of wood you use to start a fire.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.