lucifer match

American  

noun

1. friction match.

---

Etymology

Origin of lucifer match

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

So you see there are signs, not only of the lucifer match being ousted by the applications of electricity, but of the old tinder-box coming amongst us once again in a new form.

From The Story of a Tinder-box by Tidy, Charles Meymott

It is a small thing to excite so much earnest scrutiny; only the half burned fragment of a lucifer match.

From Dangerous Ground or, The Rival Detectives by Lynch, Lawrence L.

The former may be obtained by burning a little sulphur or a sulphured lucifer match under the perforations of a killing box of the pattern described, and the latter—well, every smoker knows that.

From Butterflies and Moths (British) by Furneaux, William S.

In the latter case, shave with cold water by the light of your candle, lit by your own lucifer match.

From Canada and the Canadians Volume I by Bonnycastle, Richard Henry

Directions for making these luminous phials are very simple, and may be found in most of the books of experiments published prior to the introduction of the modern lucifer match.

From The Seven Follies of Science [2nd ed.] A popular account of the most famous scientific impossibilities and the attempts which have been made to solve them. by Phin, John