tinder

noun

tin·​der ˈtin-dər 

1

: a very flammable substance adaptable for use as kindling

2

: something that serves to incite or inflame

that rhetoric was ready tinder for revolution

—Margaret Peters

Examples of tinder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At most of these establishments the particulars were largely the same: sheets, blankets, and furniture piled atop mattresses in a tinder heap; apothecary vials left behind at the scene; guestbook listings indicating that a young man with a generic name had checked into the room. —Longreads, 3 Oct. 2024

But the incident became tinder for online outrage and speculation. —Jessica Pishko, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2024

The study published in May described a grass-fire cycle that has caused sparse desert landscapes to turn into sprawling grassland that fills the gaps between native plants and initiating dry tinder made ready by the hot Arizona sun. —Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 25 May 2024

Two wet winters in a row helped grasses grow lush and tall — but those same tall grasses are now drying into tinder under the summer heat, becoming a concern for firefighters around the area. —Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 15 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tynder; akin to Old High German zuntra tinder, Old English tendan to kindle

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tinder

noun

tin·​der ˈtin-dər 

: a material that burns easily and can be used as kindling