splinter

noun
UK: /ˈsplɪntər/
US: /ˈsplɪntər/

  1. A small, thin, sharp piece of wood or glass that has broken off from a larger piece.

    1. I got a splinter in my finger from the wooden fence.
    2. Be careful walking barefoot there might be a splinter of glass on the floor.

  2. A small group that has separated from a larger organization, especially a political party.

    1. A splinter group formed after the main party's policy shift.
    2. The splinter faction never gained traction after their controversial splinter vote.

Synonyms

shard sliver fragment chip flake break split fracture
splinter intransitive-verb

  1. To break or split into small, thin pieces.

    1. The old chair splintered when I sat on it.
    2. The force of the impact caused the wood to splinter into many pieces.

  2. To break away from a larger group or organization.

    1. The party splintered after disagreements over economic policy.
    2. The movement began to splinter as various factions fought for control of it.
splinter transitive-verb

  1. To cause something to break or split into small, thin pieces.

    1. The axe splintered the wood easily.
    2. The explosion splintered the door and sent debris flying everywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "splinter" in English means: A small, thin, sharp piece of wood or glass that has broken off from a larger piece., A small group that has separated from a larger organization, especially a political party..

The phonetic transcription of "splinter" is /ˈsplɪntər/ in British English and /ˈsplɪntər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "splinter": shard, sliver, fragment, chip, flake, break, split, fracture.

Example usage of "splinter": "I got a splinter in my finger from the wooden fence.". More examples on the page.