Spark
From Nordan Symposia
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Etymology
Middle English sparke, from Old English spearca; akin to Middle Dutch sparke spark and perhaps to Latin spargere to scatter
- Date: before 12th century
Definitions
- 1 a : a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed
- 2 a : a luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between two conductors separated by a gas (as air)
- b : the discharge in a spark plug
- c : the mechanism controlling the discharge in a spark plug
- 3 : sparkle, flash
- 4 : something that sets off a sudden force <provided the spark that helped the team to rally>
- 5 : a latent particle capable of growth or developing : germ <still retains a spark of decency>