different between scintilla vs morsel

English

Etymology

Existing in English since the 17th century; borrowed from Latin scintilla (“spark”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /s?n?t?l?/
• Rhymes: -?l?

Noun

scintilla (plural scintillae or scintillas)

1. A small spark or flash.
   • 1890, Philosophical Magazine, page 364,

     If the action of the electrodynamic waves is so violent that, even without artificial electrification of the secondary conductor, scintillæ occur in its spark-gap, the aluminium leaves remain almost without change.

2. (figuratively) A small or trace amount.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:modicum

   • 1876 February, John Tyndall, The Controversy on Acoustical Research, Popular Science Monthly,

     And, if I except the sagacious remark of General Duane which has been so curtly brushed aside, not a scintilla of light has been cast upon these causes by any researches ever published by the Lighthouse Board of Washington.

   • 1878 April, John Tyndall, Illustrations of the Logic of Science IV, Popular Science Monthly,

     Now, it may be we have no scintilla of proof to the contrary, but reason is unnecessary in reference to that belief which is of all the most settled, which nobody doubts or can doubt, and which he who should deny would stultify himself in so doing.

   • 1990, William J. Brennan, Jr., Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health: Dissent Brennan, United States Supreme Court,

     Current medical practice recommends use of heroic measures if there is a scintilla of a chance that the patient will recover, on the assumption that the measures will be discontinued should the patient improve.

Related terms

• scintilla juris
• scintillate
• scintillation
• scintillator
• shine
• stencil
• tinsel

Translations

Further reading

• “scintilla”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “scintilla”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

References

Anagrams

• Scillitan

French

Verb

scintilla

1. third-person singular past historic of scintiller

Italian

Etymology

From Latin scintilla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?in?til.la/

Noun

scintilla f (plural scintille)

1. spark

Verb

scintilla

1. third-person singular present of scintillare
2. second-person singular imperative of scintillare

Further reading

• scintilla in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Etymology

Most likely from Proto-Indo-European *ski-nto-, from *skey-, *ski- (“to gleam, shine”), which is the source of English shine.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /skin?til.la/, [s?k?n??t??l??ä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?in?til.la/, [?in??t?il??]

Noun

scintilla f (genitive scintillae); first declension

1. spark
   • Quintus Curtius Rufus, Historiarum Alexandri Magni Macedonis Libri Qui Supersunt; Book VI, Chapter III

     Parva saepe scintilla contempta magnum excitavit incendium.

     A small spark neglected has often roused to a great inferno.

2. glimmer

Declension

First-declension noun.

Derived terms

• scintill?

Descendants

• ? Vulgar Latin: *scintilia
  • ? Albanian: shkëndijë
  • Aromanian: scãntealji
  • Romanian: scânteie
• ? Vulgar Latin: *stincilla
  • Old French: estancele
    • Middle French: estincelle
      • ? English: tinsel
      • French: étincelle
• ? English: scintilla
• ? Italian: scintilla
• Old Leonese:
  • Asturian: centella
• Old Occitan:
  • Catalan: centella
• Old Portuguese: centella
  • Portuguese: centelha
• Old Spanish:
  • Spanish: centella
• Sardinian: schinchidha, scincidha
• Venetian: s-ciantixo, sciantizha, sinti?a

References

• scintilla in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• scintilla in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• scintilla in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)

English

Etymology

From Middle English morsel, from Old French morsel, from Medieval Latin morsellum (“a bit, a little piece”), diminutive of Latin morsum (“a bit”), neuter of morsus, past participle of mordere (“to bite”). Compare French morceau.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m??s?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m??s?l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s?l

Noun

morsel (plural morsels)

1. A small fragment or share of something, commonly applied to food.
   • 1979, Roald Dahl, The Twits

     By sticking out his tongue and curling it sideways to explore the hairy jungle around his mouth, he was always able to find a tasty morsel here and there to nibble on.

2. A mouthful of food.
3. A very small amount.
   • 2008, Pamela Griffin, New York Brides, Barbour Publishing Inc. (2008), ?ISBN, page 70:

     Didn't even a morsel of decency remain in his brother?

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:modicum.

Derived terms

• morselize, morselization

Related terms

• mordant
• remorse

Translations

Further reading

• morsel in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• morsel in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• “morsel”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “morsel”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• Merlos, Morels, morels, smoler

Middle English

Alternative forms

• morselle, morsille, morssel, morscel, morcelle, mursel

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French morsel, morsiel, morcel.

Noun

morsel (plural morsels)

1. small piece of food

Descendants

• English: morsel
• Yola: mossaale

References

• “morsel, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old French

Alternative forms

• morcel

Etymology

From Medieval Latin morsellum (“a bit, a little piece”), diminutive of Latin morsum (“a bit”), neuter of morsus, past participle of morde?, mord?re (“bite, nibble, gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer?- (“to rub, wipe; to pack, rob”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mur?s?l/

Noun

morsel m (oblique plural morseaus or morseax or morsiaus or morsiax or morsels, nominative singular morseaus or morseax or morsiaus or morsiax or morsels, nominative plural morsel)

1. morsel; bit; piece

Descendants

• English: morsel
• French: morceau
• Norman: morcé (Jersey, Guernsey)
• Hungarian: morzsa