flint

flint · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A hard gray rock consisting of nearly pure silite, found in chalk and limestone.

  2. 2.

    A piece of flint or similar hard stone used with steel to produce a spark for fire.

  3. 3.

    A small piece of metal used in a cigarette lighter to create a spark.

  4. 4.

    (figurative) Something extremely hard or unyielding.

Forms

plural: flints

Related words

See also: rock, spark, stone
Synonyms: chert, stone

Etymology

From Old English flint, from Proto-Germanic flintaz. Flint was essential for tool-making in prehistoric times and later for creating fire, making it one of the most important stones in human history.