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• spark
  spark

  noun

  an ignited or fiery particle such as is thrown off by burning wood or produced by one hard body striking against another.
• Spark
  Spark

  noun

  Muriel (Sarah) (Camberg), 1918–2006, British novelist and writer, born in Scotland.

spark

¹ American  

[spahrk] / spɑrk /

noun

1. an ignited or fiery particle such as is thrown off by burning wood or produced by one hard body striking against another.

2. Also called sparkover.  Electricity.

   1. the light produced by a sudden discontinuous discharge of electricity through air or another dielectric.

   2. the discharge itself.

   3. any electric arc of relatively small energy content.

   4. the electric discharge produced by a spark plug in an internal-combustion engine.

3. anything that activates or stimulates; inspiration or catalyst.

4. a small amount or trace of something.

   Synonyms:

   flicker, bit, jot

5. a trace of life or vitality.

6. (used with a singular verb) sparks, a radio operator on a ship or aircraft.

7. (usually initial capital letter) a member of Camp Fire, Inc., who is five years of age.

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verb (used without object)

1. to emit or produce sparks.

2. to issue as or like sparks.

3. to send forth gleams or flashes.

4. (of the ignition of an internal-combustion engine) to function correctly in producing sparks.

verb (used with object)

1. to kindle, animate, or stimulate (interest, activity, spirit, etc.).

   These bright students have sparked her enthusiasm for teaching. The arrival of the piano player really sparked the party.

spark ² American  

[spahrk] / spɑrk /

noun

1. an elegant or foppish young man.

2. a beau, lover, or suitor.

3. a woman of outstanding beauty, charm, or wit.

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verb (used with object)

1. to woo; court.

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in courtship; woo.

Spark ³ American  

[spahrk] / spɑrk /

noun

1. Muriel (Sarah) (Camberg), 1918–2006, British novelist and writer, born in Scotland.

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spark ¹ British  

/ spɑːk /

noun

1. a fiery particle thrown out or left by burning material or caused by the friction of two hard surfaces

2. 1. a momentary flash of light accompanied by a sharp crackling noise, produced by a sudden electrical discharge through the air or some other insulating medium between two points

   2. the electrical discharge itself

   3. ( as modifier )

      a spark gap

3. anything that serves to animate, kindle, or excite

4. a trace or hint

   she doesn't show a spark of interest

5. vivacity, enthusiasm, or humour

6. a small piece of diamond, as used in the cutting of glass

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verb

1. (intr) to give off sparks

2. (intr) (of the sparking plug or ignition system of an internal-combustion engine) to produce a spark

3. to kindle, excite, or animate

spark ² British  

/ spɑːk /

noun

1. a fashionable or gallant young man

2. ironic a person who appears clever or witty

   some bright spark left the papers next to the open window

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verb

1. rare to woo (a person)

Spark ³ British  

/ spɑːk /

noun

1. Dame Muriel ( Sarah ). 1918–2006, British novelist and writer; her novels include Memento Mori (1959), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), The Takeover (1976), A Far Cry from Kensington (1988), Symposium (1990), and The Finishing School (2004)

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spark Idioms  

1. see make the sparks fly.

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Other Word Forms

• sparkish adjective
• sparkishly adverb
• sparkishness noun
• sparkless adjective
• sparklessly adverb
• sparklike adjective

Etymology

Origin of spark¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun spark(e), sparc(k), Old English spearca, spærca, sperca; cognate with Middle Dutch sparcke, spercke, Middle Low German sparke; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of spark²

First recorded in 1575–85; figurative use of spark ¹ , or from Old Norse sparkr “quick, lively, brisk”

Explanation

A spark is a small, glowing particle that's either thrown off of a fire or that starts a fire. Your dad might tell everyone to stand back from the bonfire so they don't get burned by a spark. Sparks are burning fragments that pop up off a fire, but they're also bright flashes, like the sparks of light reflecting off your sunglasses or electrical sparks given off by an engine. Some small thing that promises to grow larger is yet another kind of spark — you might notice a spark of anger within yourself when you see someone being treated unfairly, for example. The word spark comes from the Old English root spearca, "glowing or fiery particle thrown off."

Example Sentences

It would be unethical to experimentally introduce invasive species to randomly selected islands or to randomly spark wildfires to test their impact.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

Together, these findings strengthen a bigger message: human origins were not a single spark in one place.

From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026

Ken Mahoney, CEO of Mahoney Asset Management, told MarketWatch that Apple’s leadership change did not appear to be driven by performance, but could help spark new ideas.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

The spark plug ignites a fuel-air mix, causing the rotor to turn a shaft, creating motion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

At 3:36, somewhere in the unit 1 building, a spark met the cloud of hydrogen gas.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• flare
• flicker
• gleam
• glint
• glitter
• glow
• hint
• sparkle