kindling

American

[kind-ling] / ˈkɪnd lɪŋ /

noun

material that can be readily ignited, used in starting a fire.
the act of one who kindles. kindle.

kindling British

/ ˈkɪndlɪŋ /

noun

material for starting a fire, such as dry wood, straw, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

unkindling adjective

Etymology

Origin of kindling

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; kindle ¹, -ing ¹

Compare meaning

How does kindling compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

tinder vs. kindling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We matter as much to him as a firestorm cares about kindling.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

Every year, they brought in hundreds of goats to clear brush, which can be like kindling for any fire, throughout the community.

From BBC • Aug. 3, 2024

These conditions cause plants to die and become kindling for wildfires.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2024

Among the tasks: fabricating plastic Christmas trees, building garden sheds, ripping pallets into kindling, and sorting metal in the junkyard.

From Seattle Times • May 26, 2024

The paper would have worked well for kindling, but Clare already had four baskets of crispy leaves beside the hearth.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023