sliver
Americannoun
-
a small, slender, often sharp piece, as of wood or glass, split, broken, or cut off, usually lengthwise or with the grain; splinter.
-
any small, narrow piece or portion.
A sliver of sky was visible.
-
a strand of loose, untwisted fibers produced in carding.
verb (used with object)
-
to split or cut off (a sliver) or to split or cut into slivers.
to sliver a log into kindling.
-
to form (textile fibers) into slivers.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a thin piece that is cut or broken off lengthwise; splinter
-
a loose strand or fibre obtained by carding
verb
-
to divide or be divided into splinters; split
-
(tr) to form (wool, etc) into slivers
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sliver
1325–75; Middle English slivere (noun), derivative of sliven to split, Old English -slīfan (in tōslīfan to split up
Explanation
A very thin slice or bit of something is a sliver. A sliver of hope is better than a sliver of doubt, but having a sliver of wood in your foot is the worst. That’s called a splinter, and it hurts! You'll want to watch out for slivers of glass if you break a drinking glass in the sink, and machinists have to wear special protective goggles to guard against flying slivers of metal. If you just want a bite of dessert, you can ask for just a sliver of cheesecake. Sliver is also a verb, meaning "splinter," or "cut into thin pieces." It comes from a verb that's now obsolete, sliven, "to split."
Vocabulary lists containing sliver
NASA’s Webb Delivers Deepest Infrared Image of Universe Yet
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!
The Marrow Thieves
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 Birchbark House
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.
A man stood on a small sliver of unburned land, surrounded by scorched vegetation, Malone said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Or a whole tangerine and an entire avocado toast, as opposed to a sliver?
From Salon • May 17, 2026
Petroleum accounts for only a sliver of power generation nationally but is of outsize importance in more remote regions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
Most metro systems in India have failed to achieve even a sliver of the ridership projected during their planning stages, according to experts.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
Jimmy picked up the sliver of silvery metal.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
