splinter
UK: ˈsplɪn.tər | US: ˈsplɪn.t̬ɚ
n. a small, sharp, broken piece of wood, glass, or similar material
v. to break or split into thin, sharp fragments
splinter = splint<thin piece of wood> + er<agent or result suffix>
- splint (from Middle Dutch splinte "thin piece of wood," related to splijten "to split")
- er (a suffix indicating the result of an action, e.g., "fragmenter")
Etymology Origin:
The word "splinter" traces back to Middle Dutch splinte, meaning a thin, sharp fragment of wood. The root splint reflects the idea of splitting or breaking apart, while the suffix -er denotes the result of that action. Over time, the term expanded to include sharp fragments of other materials (e.g., glass, metal), retaining its core association with thin, broken pieces.
She got a splinter in her finger while handling the wooden crate.
The explosion caused the window to splinter into thousands of tiny shards.
Be careful—this old railing might splinter if you lean on it.
He used tweezers to remove the splinter from his palm.
The ice began to splinter under the weight of the truck.