splinter

American  

[splin-ter] / ˈsplɪn tər /

noun

1. a small, thin, sharp piece of wood, bone, or the like, split or broken off from the main body.

   Synonyms:

   sliver

2. splinter group.

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verb (used with object)

1. to split or break into splinters.

2. to break off (something) in splinters.

3. to split or break (a larger group) into separate factions or independent groups.

4. Obsolete. to secure or support by a splint or splints, as a broken limb.

verb (used without object)

1. to be split or broken into splinters.

2. to break off in splinters.

   Synonyms:

   split, part, separate

splinter British  

/ ˈsplɪntə /

noun

1. a very small sharp piece of wood, glass, metal, etc, characteristically long and thin, broken off from a whole

2. a metal fragment, from the container of a shell, bomb, etc, thrown out during an explosion

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verb

1. to reduce or be reduced to sharp fragments; shatter

2. to break or be broken off in small sharp fragments

Other Word Forms

• splinterless adjective
• splintery adjective
• unsplintered adjective

Etymology

Origin of splinter

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle Dutch or Middle Low German; splint

Example Sentences

One thing to be said for the splintered families of three new novels is that being dysfunctional is better than being nonfunctional—at least an effort is being made.

From The Wall Street Journal

But recently, the AI trade has started to splinter.

From MarketWatch

Most top directors can’t act to save their lives, which is why they tend to appear as themselves and stick out like splinters.

From Salon

The retirement marks a further splintering of Apple’s AI efforts, with more of Giannandrea’s portfolio getting spread out through Apple’s organization.

From Barron's

That has caused the AI trade to splinter into two camps.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• disintegrate
• fracture
• rive
• shatter
• smash
• split