Sparks
/spɑːrks/noun
Small glowing particles produced by fire, impact, or electricity.
Did you know?English spark is ultimately related to old Germanic words for a sudden burst or glitter, and its history is tied to the same family that gave us words for scattering and sparkling light.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sperg-
“to scatter, strew”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sparkō
“a spark; a small fiery particle”
Old English
OE
spearca
“a spark, glowing ember”
Middle English
ME
spark
“a spark; a small fiery particle”
Modern English
English
sparks
“small glowing particles produced by fire, impact, or electricity”