scintilla
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of scintilla
1685–95; < Latin: spark
Explanation
It might take more than a scintilla of English vocabulary knowledge to know that scintilla means a tiny bit of something. Scintilla is a long word for describing a tiny thing. It comes sandwiched between the words a and of in phrases like “a scintilla of doubt” or “not a single scintilla of evidence.” If you’re uncertain of the pronunciation, remember: it rhymes with chinchilla and the c is silent, just like in science. Similar words you can use to talk about tiny bits of something are iota, smidgen, speck, and whit.
Vocabulary lists containing scintilla
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
It's the Little Things: Synonyms for "Small"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Martian Chronicles
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Rangers were so flat in the Czech Republic, meandering about like confused men, showing weakness in the tackle and not a scintilla of wit.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
If you’re human and have a scintilla of emotional and social intelligence, then you know that psychological and emotional suffering are serious and lead to real-world personal and social dysfunction.
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2025
Callaghan gives off a scintilla of Matt Damon vibes, but is his own Rudy, keeping his naive idealist free from leading-man tics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025
Thomas de la Mare KC, representing Newcastle United, said Sports Direct had not produced a "scintilla of evidence" to show the deal would harm competition and there was "simply no evidence" to substantiate the claim.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2024
A scintilla of doubt had begun to insinuate itself.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
