spillikin

or spil·i·kin

[ spil-i-kin ]

noun

1. a jackstraw.
2. spillikins, (used with a singular verb) the game of jackstraws.

spillikin

/ ˈspɛlɪkən; ˈspɪlɪkɪn /

noun

1. a thin strip of wood, cardboard, or plastic, esp one used in spillikins

Word History and Origins

Origin of spillikin¹

1725–35; variant of spellican < obsolete Dutch spelleken, equivalent to spelle peg, pin + -ken -kin

Example Sentences

It's so very difficult to play a game with a spillikin on one side and a sledge-hammer on the other.'

From Project Gutenberg