Smoulder
/ˈsməʊl.də(r)/noun
To burn slowly with smoke but little or no flame.
Did you know?Smoulder is a real English fire-word with very old Germanic roots, and its survival in modern speech keeps the image of embers alive like a tiny, controlled haunting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*(s)meu-
“to smear, rub, or make dirty”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*smūl- / *smeld-
“to smolder, smoke, or burn slowly”
Old English
English
smuldrian
“to smolder, burn without flame”
Middle English
English
smolderen / smolder
“to burn slowly with smoke”
Modern English
English
smoulder
“to burn slowly with smoke but little or no flame”