matchstick

[ mach-stik ]

noun

1. a short, slender piece of flammable wood used in making matches. match.
2. something that suggests a matchstick, as in thinness or fragility.

matchstick

/ ˈmætʃˌstɪk /

noun

1. the wooden part of a match

adjective

1. made with or as if with matchsticks

   a matchstick model

2. (esp of figures drawn with single strokes) thin and straight

   matchstick men

Word History and Origins

Origin of matchstick¹

First recorded in 1785–95; match ¹ + stick ¹

Example Sentences

The trees looked like matchsticks, and many of the trees had blown down on the main road.

From Outside Online

In bed with the two of them, we fit together like matchsticks, and Manny snored, loudly, so I buried my ears in Jae’s chest.

From Time

The green matchsticks, placed at varying heights for topographic effect, served as a metaphor for trees.

From Time

Now It’s the Climate’s TurnRed designed the dimensions and positions for the matchsticks on a computer, laser cut the holes onto a board and then began the painstaking task of inserting each one by hand.

From Time

Options are available as it allows for 30 different vegetable cuts, including julienne, matchstick, dice and slicing.

From Popular-Science

Two small openings roughly equal to the diameter of a matchstick are left for urination and menstruation respectively.

From The Daily Beast

Turning sidewise, the boat lifted like a matchstick on the crest of a giant wave and spun dizzily down into the trough.

From Project Gutenberg

There were several small matchstick size fragments of rib within the pleural cavity.

From Project Gutenberg

He rose up suddenly in the chair, pointing a long matchstick finger into Wyatt's face.

From Project Gutenberg

He waved the smoking matchstick to imply virtues in Wheaton which it was unnecessary to mention.

From Project Gutenberg

One pier of a concrete bridge, erected two years before,256 which spans Silver and Porter Streets, cracked off like a matchstick.

From Project Gutenberg