Meaning & use
matchstick
Last updated
UK/ˈmætʃstɪk/
US/ˈmætʃstɪk/
Meaning
nouncountable
The small thin stick of wood that forms the body of a match, often with a red or black tip.
Grammar: Countable: one matchstick, two matchsticks.
Patterns
- a box of matchsticks
- a matchstick figure
He used a matchstick to clean under his fingernails.
The model was made entirely from matchsticks and glue.
She drew a matchstick man on the back of the envelope.
Word forms
| plural | matchsticks |
|---|
Common combinations
- a box of matchsticks
- She bought a box of matchsticks to light the candles.
- matchstick figure
- The child drew a matchstick figure with a big round head.
- matchstick man
- The artist is famous for his matchstick men.
- thin as a matchstick
- After the illness, he was as thin as a matchstick.
Synonyms and how they differ
- match
- The whole object, including the head that burns; a matchstick is just the stick part.
Word family
- match noun
- The complete small stick with a chemical tip that makes fire.
- matchbox noun
- A small box for keeping matches.
Commonly confused: matchstick or toothpick?
matchstick vs toothpick
A toothpick is for cleaning teeth; a matchstick is part of a match.
Practice
What is a matchstick?
Choose one answer.
A matchstick is the thin wooden stick of a match. A toothpick (option 0) is for teeth, and a matchstick itself does not light a fire without the chemical tip.
Make it your own
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