flint
UK[flɪnt]US[flɪnt]
n
a very hard greyish-black rock that produces a spark when struck against steel
n
a piece of this rock or a hard metal alloy used to produce a spark in a cigarette lighter or an old-fashioned gun
Etymology
the word 'flint' has a deep germanic lineage, traceable to old english 'flint', which referred to the hard stone. this old english term is cognate with middle dutch 'vlint' and old norse 'flint', all sharing the core meaning. it is likely derived from a proto-germanic root, possibly related to the notion of splitting or splintering, a property of the conchoidal fracture characteristic of flint when struck. the word's journey is one of remarkable semantic stability, retaining its core reference to the specific, spark-producing stone from its ancient roots into modern technical and common usage.
Analysis
the word 'flint' is a simplex word of germanic origin. it functions as a single, unanalyzable lexical unit in modern english.
Examples
early humans shaped flint into sharp tools and weapons.
the old lighter ran out of flint and wouldn't spark.
the cliffs along the coast are composed primarily of chalk and flint.